


Timing

by Quoyan_XI



Series: Timing Series [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Basketball, College, Eventual Smut, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, More characters, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 21:38:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 77,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13199064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quoyan_XI/pseuds/Quoyan_XI
Summary: The last several days had been a nightmare. It didn’t matter where she went, there was always someone asking her about the game, it was frustratingly terrifying. Before traveling to King’s Landing the only thing she felt was excitement for playing the game, but once she got to the capital she realized the importance of the event





	1. Scoreboard

‘Dammit’. Sansa thought after receiving what was the third block in a row during today’s basketball practice. It felt like the more she tried to drive to the basket, the harder it was to shoot.

‘This can’t be happening, I’m faster than her’. Several teammates approached her to try to give her some encouragement. ‘I guess I’m just having a bad day’. This was bad. Today couldn’t be a bad day. Not with the championship basketball game so close. Sansa was one of the key players of her team. She couldn’t fail. Certainly she couldn’t lose against a first-year during a drill. ‘Come on Sansa, just focus’.

The last several days had been a nightmare. It didn’t matter where she went, there was always someone asking her about the game, it was frustratingly terrifying. Before traveling to King’s Landing the only thing she felt was excitement for playing the game, but once she got to the capital she realized the importance of the event.

It was the first time in fifteen years that Winterfell High School qualified to play for the championship trophy and all her coaches and teammates were counting on her. ‘My family certainly is’. Saying that her family was excited about the game was putting it mildly. Sansa had already lost count of the times in which her father had told her how proud he was of her. “You have to watch out for the scouts. Surely the game will be full of them and a sports scholarship can open a lot of doors for you”. This didn’t mean they were having trouble with money, but the thought itself added an extra burden to the mountain of worries and expectations that Sansa held.

The coach signaled the end of the practice and after giving a series of indications he let the players retire to the locker room.

“Coach! Can I stay for a while practicing some shooting?” Asked Sansa knowing that he was going to let her. It was just one more routine, a practice that had become a habit after several years of training. Sansa was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Although this made her earn some incredulous faces from more than one of her teammates, she didn’t care. ‘They should be used to it. They’ve been watching me do the same thing all season, I don’t know what’s wrong with them’.

After making fifty shots, Sansa allowed herself to relax. Her shooting technique was so fluid and natural that she lost track of time. Truthfully, shooting right now without any type of opposition was not the same as shooting during the actual game. This didn’t mean it was useless though.

After another series of shots Sansa started to wonder how did basketball become something so suffocating, at the end of the day it was just a game. One team wins and the other loses. ‘How can a basketball game be so important? When was the last time I was so afraid of losing?

The thing was that she really cared about the game. If one of both teams deserved to win it was absolutely hers, without any doubt. So many plans with friends cancelled and sleepless nights studying must have been worthwhile. Not to mention all the practices and tournaments during the holidays. ‘But the other team has the same problem. They have struggled as much as we have to get to the championship final. Stupid championship, always taking all the fun out of the sport’. Where does the game end and the competition start?

“Crap” Sansa cursed. The ball went off to the stands after a missed shot. She reluctantly went to pick it up. Before she could reach it, she realized that she was not alone. There was a man in the stands watching her, evaluating her. Sansa was so focused on her shot that she had not realized that there was someone else in the gym.

The stranger approached the court's sidelines with the ball. “A pity you missed that shot, you were doing pretty well”. Sansa stopped. The newcomer passed her the ball. “Thanks” Sansa said, unsure of what to do. She didn’t know who he was, but he definitely knew how to pass a ball. It may sound silly, but the difference between giving a good pass and a bad pass can really determine the outcome of a game.

Sansa and the stranger looked at each other. The man didn’t have the typical build of an athlete; he was rather lean and not very tall. ‘He may be short to play, but he has the same height as I do’. Even so, his eyes gave off a great intelligence that seemed to counteract all of his flaws.

“Well, today is not my day” Sansa’s eyes linked with the newcomer; apparently he couldn’t stop staring at her. Sansa blushed. The stranger noticed and couldn’t help to give her a little smirk.

“If making forty nine out of fifty shots is a bad day then yes, I totally agree with you” Sansa smiled and went to the basket to keep shooting. “If only it were that simple”. She replied throwing the ball.

“Are you worried about tomorrow’s game?” Sansa stood motionless. She was already too nervous to think about the game, and now this stranger was asking her if she was worried? She didn’t want to tell him the truth, no matter how attractive he was.

The stranger got her shot’s rebound and passed her the ball. ‘Another perfect pass’ Sansa thought. It was frustrating. Apparently every movement he made had been precisely calculated to the smallest detail.

“I don’t know, the fact is that there’s so much at stake that deep down, I wonder if the game deserves all the repercussion that they give it”. The stranger nodded. “What do you want then?” Sansa stopped for a moment unable to answer. The stranger was staring at her again with the same calculating look. For some reason, she did not want to disappoint this man. “ I want to win the game and the championship”. The stranger gave her a satisfied smile telling her that he liked her response.

They followed the same dynamic for some time, Sansa shot the ball, the newcomer got the rebound and kept passing her the ball. After a while she realized that it was easier for her to shoot with his passes, as if they had been playing all their lives together. “Although right now, what I really want is to know who you are”. Sansa said, breaking the silence.

The stranger stood with the ball and looked into her eyes. “Petyr, my name is Petyr” he said approaching to offer his hand. “Sansa” she answered accepting it. If she had previously doubted about her curiosity towards him now she could not deny it. ‘He has beautiful eyes’. Sansa dismissed that thought quickly and tried to avoid blushing, again.

“So, What are you doing here Mr…?” “Baelish, but I'd prefer you to call me Petyr” finished the man with a smile. Apparently her attempt to start a conversation amused him. “I’m just a basketball fan who was walking near here. I can’t ignore the chance to be able to watch good basketball”. After this, he passed her the ball again. Sansa couldn’t stop looking at him. ‘How can he smile so much?’. At that moment she noticed how his smile didn’t reached his eyes liked it did before. ‘Strange’.

“Look your feet” Petyr remarked. Sansa stopped confused. “Your feet must be parallel respectively oriented towards the basket. If they aren’t it’s easier to lose balance and miss the shot” When she understood what he had just said, Sansa burst into laughter.

“So apparently you are a smartass and a basketball coach. I guess the fact that you’re trying to help me means you’re not a scout of the opposite team”. Petyr chuckled. “It pains me that you think that I work for the rival team”. Sansa shot again focusing on the position of her feet. “Not bad, good job”.

“You don’t deny it then?” Petyr looked at her bewildered. “You don’t deny that you are a coach” Sansa explained. “Neither have I denied being a scout”.

Sansa couldn’t ignore the oddness of the situation. All her instincts told her that she shouldn’t trust this stranger. She didn’t know anything about him. ‘What is he doing here? He’s clearly a basketball coach or he was’. Sansa continued to ponder until she finally asked something obvious. “So, do you coach at KLU? After all this is their gym”. Petyr looked at her amused. “You are direct. I don’t coach any team, but in a way you’re right. I work here”.

Sansa didn’t know whether to insist a little more. Petyr seemed like a very reserved person and she didn’t want to risk sounding impertinent, so she started shooting to the basket again.

After missing four shots in a row, Sansa gave a frustrated snort. Petyr noticed, but kept passing her the ball until she successfully scored. “See, you have to believe more in yourself”. Sansa chuckled. She didn’t know what it was but she felt very comfortable around Petyr. Apparently the feeling was mutual. ‘If it weren’t he wouldn’t be here’. “I just have to avoid getting blocked all the time”. She answered a little downcast.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out” Petyr was looking at her. He was trying to give her a reassuring look, one very different to those of pity that her teammates had given her after receiving those three blocks in a row.

“I don’t know if you’d noticed, but I’m pretty short to play basketball, professionally speaking” he joked. Sansa saw how his face changed into a nostalgic expression. “There wasn’t a single game in which I didn’t got blocked at least once. Until they couldn’t”. Remarking that last sentence with a mocking smile, he oriented his body towards the basket and shot from the free throw line. Chof! ‘It looks like he knows how to shoot’.

“How did you do it?” Sansa couldn’t help to ask that question. She suspected that it was exactly what Petyr wanted. “I outsmarted them”. With this, he caught the ball and approached Sansa. “Basketball is a sport for clever people. This is something that very few people realized” Petyr started. For the first time since she started talking to him she noticed the grey patches that adorned his temples. ‘They suit him’.

“It’s very important to understand the game situation that you’re in during the game, because sometimes, one simple action can save you three”. Sansa suppressed a smile when she saw the proud face Petyr was wearing while he was explaining all of this. ‘He’s very cute right now’.

“What kind of offense resources do you have?” Sansa blushed “I’m sorry, what?” She had not heard anything of what he had said. She was too busy staring at him. For the first since she started talking at him, Sansa was suddenly very aware of her bad appearance. This didn’t made her blushed any less. Petyr smiled. ‘I guess that’s a good sign’. Sansa relaxed a little bit.

“What kind of offense resources do you have? How can you attack the defense?” he insisted bringing himself closer to Sansa. His eyes were waiting expectantly her answer, as if they knew she knew it.

“A shot fake?” Sansa said unsure. Petyr’s face brightened. Apparently she was correct. “The shot fake and the pass fake are very useful resources. They’re not given the importance they deserved when they are taught. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing against the best defense player of Westeros, if you managed to make a shot fake at the right moment, she won’t be able to do anything against you”.

“So the only thing I have to do is trick them” Sansa understood what he was trying to tell her, but she still had some doubts. If she used this every time she played the defense would notice and then the fake shot would be useless.

“I love watching you think” Sansa noticed that Petyr kept staring at her. It seemed he couldn’t help it. ‘How can he be so forward?’ in truth Sansa didn’t mind, after all he had caught her staring at him more than once.

“I was thinking that if I always use fake shots they’ll end up being useless because my defender would noticed”. Sansa walked towards Petyr looking at him and took the ball from his hands with a grin. She approached the basket to shoot.

“We have a problem then, don’t we?” Sansa passed him the ball. She knew he was just teasing her, challenging her. It was a bit irritating. ‘You’re enjoying it though’. “Nice pass, so what is your answer? Are they useful or not?” Sansa looked at him thoughtfully. “Yes they are, the thing is that you have to use them at the adequate moment”. Petyr offered her a proud smile telling her she was right. Sansa couldn’t help to return it while she got closer to him.

“How can I know when to use them?” Petyr offered her the ball. “That’s something you’ll just have to know, I can’t teach your instinct how to act. Trial and error” Confused she placed her hands on the ball that Petyr was holding. She didn’t take it from him this time.

“So you’re basically telling me to trust myself”. Petyr chuckled. This bothered Sansa. She didn’t find it funny. At that moment Petyr placed one of his hands on top of Sansa’s while the other kept holding the ball. “Oh sweetling, I’ve been trying all this time to tell you just that”.

Ice blue eyes locked on mossy green. Sansa held her breath for a beat. For a moment she surrendered before his hypnotic eyes and lost track of time. After a second that lasted an eternity the spell was broken. Without any kind of warning, the lights went out and they stood in the dark.

Sansa laughed, she couldn’t believe the awkwardness of the situation. “It looks like they’re kicking us out”. Petyr said while he was searching for his phone. He had to release Sansa’s hand and the ball for it. She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel, but she was a little disappointed. After a while he turned on the flashlight.

Carefully, both looked for the exit and manage to leave. Sansa realized that it must be dinnertime and that she had to return quickly to the hotel. She picked up her things and Petyr accompanied her to the exit.  
“Are you coming to the game tomorrow?” Sansa asked once they were out. ‘Will I see you again?’ She wanted to say. She had just met him, but she felt more comfortable around him than with half of her friends.

“Only if you’re coming too”. Sansa snorted. “Are you always this irritating?”

“Not always, I can be exasperating too” he mocked with a wide grin. Sansa chuckled.

“Come on, don’t make me beg, if you work at the university you’ll have to go”. Sansa insisted.

“I guess I can come around, someone will have to check that the scoreboard works”

“So that’s what you were doing back there!” she looked at him, not believing he just said that. Petyr nodded. They looked at each other for a couple of seconds until Sansa burst into laughter. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be able to play tomorrow” Petyr frowned.

“It’s good to know that we’ve met because of a broken scoreboard”

“To be honest I don’t regret coming here to fix it, even if it bothered me a little bit”. Petyr confessed. Sansa smiled at that. “Did you had something better to do?” She retorted playfully.

“Let’s say that my positions as a director of athletics implies more complex works than fixing a scoreboard” Petyr shrugged.

“Director?” for the first time in the conversation Sansa was suddenly aware that she was clearly flirting with someone older than her. ‘What if he thinks I’m stupid? Why can’t I just shut up?’ After saying that last thing she just wanted to run away from there. It didn’t matter how humiliating and ridiculous she looked doing it.

“Associate director. I’m in charge of the business part”. Petyr offered her smug grin. “I can fix scoreboards too”.

Sansa did not know if he was telling her this to impress her, but she could not help thinking that Petyr was someone important. For some reason she already knew. The way he moved transmitted calm and security. As if he had everything under control. ‘Not to mention that he appears to be younger than he is’.

At that moment Sansa's phone rang, it was a message. "Where are you? We are about to to have dinner and then we have a team meeting to talk about tomorrow’s game.” Sansa snorted. "Duty calls " said Petyr. She didn’t know if she had just imagined it but he sounded dissapointed. ‘I’m just getting ahead of myself, I’ve just met him’. The truth is that she did not want to return, but she had spent too much time away.

“Yes, I’m going to have to go” Sansa said reluctantly. “Promise me that you’ll come tomorrow. You owe me after listening all of your lessons”. Petyr laughed. She hadn’t noticed how beautiful his laughter was. It was a melodic and low sound, it had a husky touch too.

Petyr took a step towards her. Carefully he took her hand in his and leaned down to give it a light kiss. Sansa’s pulse quickened. Without looking away from her eyes he whispered. “I promise that this will not be the last time you’ll see me”

He turned with a grin and left without saying goodbye.


	2. Time out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 10 months later. 
> 
> Petyr arrives in time to watch Sansa's game at KLU and has an interesting talk with the boys' basketball coach.
> 
> Meanwhile, Sansa is playing one of the best games of her season.

_10 months later._

“Excuse me sir!” Petyr turned back. Behind him was a small boy offering him a box of mints. He couldn’t be older than six years old. “I think you dropped this”. It must have happened when he was picking up his suitcase from the luggage belt.

“Thank you” Petyr smiled accepting the box. The boy’s parents nodded and kept walking.

Petyr strode quickly towards the exit. The airport was crowded as always. King’s landing was a popular destination, for both business and leisure. It had also the added bonus of being the capital of the kingdom. Luckily, Petyr could afford traveling in first class and he hadn’t had any kind of trouble during his journey.

 Fortunately his time in Braavos had been shorter than expected. The recent negotiations with the bravoosi College had made it easier to reach an agreement. ‘ _If I hurry I can get to the game in time”._  

The game. Sansa will be there. It had been a while since the last time he had talked to her. During the year he had managed to keep some small conversation with her between practices and games. In the end, he was the responsible for getting her the scholarship to play at KLU. He ‘forgot’ to tell her that small detail though.

 He called a taxi after leaving the building. When he was in it he felt a light buzzing coming from his jacket. Someone was calling him. With a fluid movement Petyr reached for his phone and answered the call. “Baelish”.

 “Hey! Have you arrived yet?” Asked the characteristic voice of Tyrion Lannister.

 “I landed a few minutes ago. I’m on my way” He took a mint from his box without hanging up the call and put it in his mouth.

“That was fast Baelish. I suppose everything went well in Braavos, right?”

“It went smoothly” Honestly the bravoosi had been very stubborn when it came into reaching an agreement. There was always something wrong with anything he proposed. Luckily Petyr could sell an AC unit to a night’s watch member.

“Regarding what I asked you before you left… Have thought about it?” Petyr tsked. It’s not that Tyrion’s offer wasn’t tempting. It was actually the opposite. 

“I haven’t decided yet”. He had decided. His answer was going to be ‘no’. Tyrion had offered him the possibility to coach the boy’s basketball team. Coach Davos was retiring after this season. Petyr had no intention of accepting. It didn’t mean that he didn’t like to coach. He liked coaching. He just didn’t want to put up with a group of hormonal young adults whose only aim in life was to see who could lift more weights in the gym.

“If you don’t want to coach Baelish, just tell me and I will stop wasting my time on you”. Tyrion replied from the other side of the line.

 Petyr looked through the taxi window. They were getting closer to the college and he could appreciate how the precinct was slowly filling up with people. The expectation for the game was not something out of the ordinary; after all, college basketball was very popular in the city.

“I just arrived. We should talk after the game” With this Petyr ended the call. He paid the taxi driver and got out of the car.

The thing was that he liked to coach. He couldn’t deny that he liked basketball, but he had moved forward. Or so he thought, until he met Sansa.

The opportunity he had to see her that afternoon was wonderful. He still remembered the face of concentration she put on every shot she made. How she moved on the court, without any difficulty. Every time she went out on the court to play, her team’s attitude changed. Her teammates looked at her expectantly, following her instructions. Finding a player with such a presence on the court was very difficult. 

He would have lied if he said he didn’t know who she was the first time he saw her. As soon as he laid his eyes on her, he had immediately thought of Cat, but that was stupid. Cat had never played basketball, she loathed the sport. _‘She hated playing it’,_ which seemed pretty hypocritical, since she ended up marrying Ned Stark. Petyr smirked. He still remembered how he had beaten Ned Stark’s team at the state tournament when he was in high school. Although that is a story for another day.

After getting across the crowed campus, he managed to reach the gym. Not without first cursing under his breath to a  couple of teenagers who had not realized they were blocking a public way. ‘ _At what moment did I accept a job here?’._

  
When he entered the gym he couldn’t help but stop. The game had already begun. The stands were roaring and there was a charged atmosphere. With difficulty he approached the stands closest to the local bench, but kept his distance trying not to attract attention. Without stopping he looked at the court. In it he distinguished an unmistakable auburn mane.

  
Watching her play was hypnotic. With a pair dribbles she crossed the court and scored a lay-up. He watched how her mouth changed into a small smile, but it was only for a second. Fleetingly, it disappeared and she focused on her defense. Petyr looked at the scoreboard. They were losing by ten points.

At that moment he realized that it was likely that Ned and Cat would be here watching Sansa. The game was merely qualifying for the play-offs, but it was possible. 'That would be awkward'. 

“Hey Baelish” said a low voice. Petyr turned and saw how a small hefty man with a beard sat next to him.

“How are you Davos?” 

“Not very well, the sand snakes are beating us” 

“We’re only ten points behind and the third quarter has just started” countered Petyr, trying to cheer the man up. He knew the boy’s team had lost the previous game and with it the chances of qualifying for play-offs. It had been Davos’ last game and he knew he must feel a little down.

“You’re right but the dornish are playing with a very intense defense. Too much in my opinion, I think the referee it’s being very permissive, not to say something worse” Petyr smiled. He had a vague idea of why Davos had approached him, but he did not want to be the first to talk about it. 

“How was Braavos? Are we hosting the summer tournament or not?” Asked Davos. It wasn’t the question Petyr was expecting.  

“They weren’t very happy but they accepted. We just need to talk about the accomodation procedures and the tournament's schedule”. 

“That’s great. It will good for the players after today’s disaster”

 “You’re not quitting the team then?” 

Davos looked at him and laughed. “Tyrion told me that he was going to try to convince you, but I’m not that optimisc”.

Petyr nodded. “I was going to talk with him after the game, but you’re right. I don’t see myself coaching a team right now, not a college one at least.”Petyr admitted. 

At that moment he saw how Sansa received a good pass and scored a three. The smiled he had seen before reappeared. He couldn’t help but remember how they had looked at each other the first time. How she moved closer to him. How she put her hand on the ball he was holding. How he laid his hand on hers. He remembered how her pulse had quickened when he whispered that she should trust herself. _That he trusted her._ The sound of her sweet laughter when the lights went out. It had been too good to be true. He would never get tired of remembering that moment. 

Sansa fascinated him. It had been a long time since he felt this way towards someone. Nor did he want to think too much about it. After all, he was much older than her. ‘ _She’s also Cat’s daughter’_. He reminded himself, in case it wasn’t complicated enough already. In fact, the few conversations he had had with her did not give any indication that she was uncomfortable with him, quite the opposite actually. Discarding that last thought he returned his focus on the game.

 The sand snakes didn’t quail and unfortunately they returned the three point shot during the last seconds of the shot clock.

“They can still make a comeback but it’s certainly going to be hard if they keep scoring threes” Commented Petyr.

Davos replied without turning his head. “I’d changed to a 2-3 zone defense and wait until they made a mistake to recover the ball and make a fast turn over”. Petyr chuckled bitterly. He did not believed what he had just heard.

“How are you going to change into a 2-3 defense if what you want is to stopped them from scoring threes?” He didn’t want to sound harsh but he couldn’t help it. “They should hustle more in defense. We should take advantage of our height too,  we are better physically and somehow we haven’t done anything about it. Nobody is moving in offense, it’s been five attacks and we haven’t scored any point near the basket. It’s like we are too scared to drive to the rim.”

Davos looked at him perplexed and chuckled lightly “Are you sure that you’re going to decline Tyrion’s offer? I can still quit”. Petyr didn’t answer and stood motionless watching the game. 

“You know, I still remember the first time I saw you play” Davos confessed. “You were the shortest player on the court” 

Petyr chuckled. “That was a long time ago” 

“At first glance you didn’t looked like a big deal, but when the game started you transformed. The players underestimated you, and that my friend only proved how stupid they were. I remember how at the end of the first quarter you had scored half of your team’s points and had given at least eight assists”.  

He did not know where Davos wanted to go with this, but he was finding it rather uncomfortable to continue the conversation. He did not like to talk about himself. Everything he had said was true, it was just that he did not like to talk about the past.

“If by any chance you’re implying that I’m a good coach because I was a good basketball player I’m afraid you’re wrong. Usually great players are disastrous at coaching”.

“And yet you are not” Petyr looked puzzled at Davos. The scoreboard horn sounded signaling the end of the third quarter. Petyr watched how the players approched the bench. Sansa was looking for her water bottle when she realized he was looking at her. Their eyes connected as they had done a year ago. Petyr smiled at her and felt soft butterflies inside his stomach when he saw Sansa smiling back.

Petyr looked at the scoreboard. They were losing 61-68. They had not lost yet.

 

___________________________

 

Sansa couldn’t help but smile at him. She still didn’t understand the effect he had on her. It had been a long time since she last seen him and more since she last talked to him. It was not fair, he had to pick today to see her again out of all the days he could have chosen. The day they were losing.

‘ _No, there’s still a quarter left, this is not over_ ’ Sansa turned to pay attention at her coach.

“Girls we have to hustle more in defense. They’re very fast and we are having a hard time recovering so talk in defense. Communicate.” Coach Brienne was looking at them fiercely. “We have to raise our defense intensity, they are playing very comfortable. Defend their shots! We are always late, so focus!” 

“We also have to move more in offense, there’s no way we can score if nobody moves” Sansa blurted. She hadn't meant to step in but Brienne didn’t seemed to mind.

Brienne nodded and continued. “Look for the advantages, we are taller”. With this said, the players applauded giving yells of encouragement and shouted “ One, two, three KLU!” 

The players returned to the court. A dornish player went to guard her as soon as she crossed the out-of-bounds line. ‘ _Do they ever get tired?’_. They had been all the game guarding her very close. It was suffocating. Despite this, Sansa had managed to take every opportunity she had to score most of her team’s points. 

The game resumed and the ball started moving. When her team’s point guard crossed the half court line, Sansa changed her pace with a sudden move and received the ball. She knew what she had to do. They had rehearsed this play a thousand times.

She waited patiently half a second to received the screen from the center to look for the shot, when her defender tried to steal the ball with a swipe of her arm. Sansa moved the ball and dodge the slap, but she couldn’t avoid getting hit. _‘Foul!!’_ Sansa cursed under her breath. ‘ _Are the referees blind?’_. She drove to the basket with her new found rage. She looked for the screen and managed to make room to take the shot. The defender reacted just in time and went to defend her. Just when Sansa was raising her arms to throw the ball, she changed her action and passed the ball to the player that had put her the screen. The center scored and the gym roared.

Sansa smiled at having managed to fool the defense and looked at the stands looking for Petyr. He was already smiling at her, admiring her. It looked like he had realized what she had just done. 

Quickly, ignoring their little interaction, she focused on her defense again. You could tell that Brienne’s words had been heard. It was as if after that basket the team had changed. They were only five points behind and they still have the rest of the quarter left. Enough time to make a comeback.

  
Sansa remembered how she won the championship game last year with her high school. This cheered her up. She felt that somehow this court gave her good luck.

The sand snakes resumed the game quickly. The defense took their respective positions effectively around the court. Sansa found the player she had to guard and looked for the ball. If they maintained this level of defense they had more than one chance to turn the game around, but If the sand snakes kept scoring threes nothing would change.  

One of her teammates seemed to see an opportunity and threw herself into stealing a ball, but unfortunately the opponent saw it and and got rid of her. Then the sand snake stopped and shot the ball from the free throw line. Sansa held her breath. She watched how the parabolic shot went to the basket and her heart stopped for a second. Luckily the ball collided with the basket’s iron.

She quickly run to get the defensive rebound. It took her some effort but she finally controlled the ball and started dribbling towards the basket. Two defenders were onto her before she could pass the half court line. She tried to get rid of them using her speed, running parallel to the sideline. She was about to make it when she felt how her knee gave way to her body and collapsed on the floor. The gym fell silent. 

The pain clouded her vision. She couldn’t feel anything else. It was as if she was in another dimension and the only thing that tied her to reality was the twinge that pierced her knee.

  
Sansa writhed on the floor. She was barely aware of how the players gather around her. Nor could she distinguish how Petyr's voice called the physiotherapist to attend to her immediately. Tears started to welled up in her eyes. She tried to move his right leg but the only thing she felt was a dull pain piercing through her knee.

‘ _This can’t be happening’_. She noticed how someone picked her up. With effort she distinguished how Brienne carried her on her arms out of the court towards the bench.

“I can’t move my leg, I can’t…” She tried to calm herself, but couldn’t. She wasn’t able to form the correct words, it all had happened so fast.

“Here’s some ice, put it on your knee”. Sansa raised her head. Petyr was kneeling in front of her with an ice pack. Sansa nodded, but when she did not move Petyr took the initiative and laid the ice pack on her knee. She noticed how the pain was reduced a little but she could still feel the rumble of her heartbeat along her leg.

  
When the physiotherapist arrived he asked her a series of questions. She managed to answered them the best she could. When he tried to move her leg she writhed and closed her eyes. A small moan of pain escaped her mouth.

“Sansa look at me” Petyr’s voice woke her up. She noticed how his gaze reflected concern and something else, but she couldn’t recognize it. “Are you capable of standing up?”.

 Sansa tried to get on her feet. Petyr helped her offering his arms, but as soon as she stepped on the ground she lost her balance. Petyr was ready and managed to hold her in time. He lifted her into his arms and sat her on a wheelchair. She noticed how his muscles flexed. ‘ _He’s stronger than he looks’_.

“How about we go to the hospital?” Sansa looked at the physiotherapist and saw how he nodded in agreement. Petyr pushed her wheelchair and headed to the exit of the gym with her and the other man. 

Before leaving the court, she turned her head and saw how the game had resumed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. So here's the second chapter. 
> 
> I know this is not your typical Petyr x Sansa story but I had a lot of fun writing it.  
> It allows me to express some of the experiences that I had playing basketball or coaching it. But don't despair, not everything is about sports, it's just a very important part of the story.
> 
> In a way this fic is helping me a lot with my grammar (even if I still make some mistakes, or a lot xD) 
> 
> Hope you like it and thanks for everything.
> 
> If you want to contact me my tumblr is: @quoyan11


	3. Out of bounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr takes Sansa to the hospital. They have a sweet moment together.

Luckily the hospital was not far from the gym. Petyr and Sansa arrived to the ER after a short walk. They didn’t talk during the short trip, but it didn’t matter, Sansa was too worried about her knee to establish any kind of conversation.

A nurse quickly attended her when she got there. She asked her several questions about how she injured her knee during the game and she answered them the best she could. She didn’t remember very much actually. It had been one of those weird events in which her memories didn’t make sense. One second she was sprinting across the court and in the next she was collapsing on the floor. 

Sansa looked at her swelled knee. It hurt even to look at it. She had never injured her knee; she had had other types of injuries like sprained ankles but not her knee. She couldn’t believe how everything had changed so fast. Less than an hour ago she was playing one of the best games of her season, they were about to make a comeback and Sansa was actually having fun.

She sat in silence at the doctor’s office. The doctor came to inspect her knee and after asking another series of questions (seriously, how many times did she have to say the same things over and over?) he left, leaving her alone. A couple of minutes passed until a nurse came and told her that they needed a CT scan to confirm she didn’t have a broken meniscus.

The nurse took her through a white corridor. Sansa took the opportunity to turn her head and look back. She could see how Petyr was pacing across the waiting room talking to his phone. He glanced at her and mouthed ‘ _How are you?’_ Sansa didn’t have time to answer because she was instantly dragged into a small room with a huge machine and different monitors.

 The nurse helped her to stand up slowly. When she was totally supporting herself with one leg she tried to lay her bad leg on the CT scan bed, carefully without harming her bad knee. The doctor told her to don’t move, they’ll only need a few seconds to make the CT scan, but it was very important for her to be very still.

The machine started to make weird noises but it stopped after a few seconds. Sansa felt useless, she hated feeling like this. Like she couldn’t do anything to make things better. She wished to go back to the gym, to keep playing as if nothing had happened and help her team to win. For some reason she thought her teammates hated her, because she left just when they needed her most. _‘You didn’t asked for this to happen, stop blaming yourself.’_ She knew she didn’t deserve to think that way but she couldn’t help it.

The same nurse took her again across the corridor to the doctor’s office; Petyr was waiting for her outside. “How are you?”

 Before she could answer the nurse stepped in. “The doctor will come in a few minutes to tell you the diagnosis of the CT scan, until then she should wait here.” Petyr nodded. “Thank you.” They were left alone in the doctor’s office. She could feel Petyr’s eyes on her.

“Hey don’t worry.” Sansa looked at him. Petyr strode across the room and sat down on a chair facing her. “Everything will be fine, you’re stronger than this.” He reached for her hand to give it a little squeezed. 

Sansa’s mouth quirked into what looked like a little smile but it disappeared quickly. “It’s just that… I don’t understand how this happened.” Her eyes were on the brink of crying. 

“It’s not your fault Sansa, you couldn’t have done anything.” He locked his eyes with hers. There they were, those grey green eyes again. She felt bare to him when he looked at her that way. As if she were the most important thing in the world. She had noticed his interest in her. She would’ve been blind if she hadn’t. They way his eyes bore into her proved that she was right in her observations. She would gladly drown in those mossy pools if it were any other moment. 

Sansa was the first to break their connection looking down at her injured knee. He was right, but she already knew that.

“You were amazing, you know.” He was referring to the game. She noticed that he was still holding her hand. She didn’t let go.

“Thank you” She squeezed his hand. “And thanks for everything, thanks for bringing me here.”

“It’s the least I could do.” He answered.

Silence fell in the room. She had no clue on how to keep the conversation going. He didn’t seem to care. He always looked so calm, like he had everything under control. She couldn’t deny her attraction to him. He was older than her but he treated her like an equal, not like a silly little girl like most of the boys her age did. Not to mention he was good looking too. Sansa studied the sharp features of his face, admiring the line of his jaw. 

“I didn’t know you could run that fast.” Sansa joked, breaking the silence. 

“I could have run faster if I hadn’t had to carry you across campus.” Sansa chuckled. She wondered at his ability of making her happy. Mere minutes ago she was feeling miserable and now she was bantering with this man as if nothing bad had happened.

“I saw how you tricked the defense with that fake shot.” He continued. “It was nicely done.”

“I had a good coach.” She heard Petyr’s chuckle and looked at him.

"You are a good student" His face reflected joy at making her happy. They were closer now. He was leaning towards her rubbing her knuckles softly. Trying to sooth her. 

She heard someone knock from the other side of the door. Petyr fixed his posture and stood up. The doctor entered his office with several files under his arm.

“Sansa Stark?” He said glancing their way. Sansa nodded. Petyr moved.

“I’ll be outside, Brienne and some of your teammates will be here shortly. I’ve just talked to her on the phone” He was passing next to her towards the door when she touched his arm. 

“Don’t leave.” Petyr stopped and looked at her. She didn’t want him to go after everything he’d done for her. “Stay.”

Petyr held her gaze. Somehow asking her the permission she had already given to him, to stay next to her. Then he took a step and stood by her side. The doctor coughed. Sansa and Petyr turned their attention to the man who was standing in front of them a little uncomfortable.

“Well, after looking at the CT scan we believe that unfortunately you’ve completely torn your anterior cruciate ligament” The doctor said looking at them. When he saw her face of uncertainty he explained. “The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four main ligaments of the knee. It’s a very common injury among basketball players. I’m sorry but it’s highly probable that you won’t be able to play the rest of the basketball season.”

Sansa stood silent, thinking about what he had just told her. His last words cut through her heart like knives. She was going to miss the rest of the season and everything she had worked for meant nothing. Petyr put his hand on her shoulder. 

“How long am I going to be like this? When can I play again?” The doctor looked at her. She could tell by his face that it was going to be a long time.

“Approximately 10 months. For an injury like this you will most certainly need surgery to regain full function of your knee. After the surgery you’ll have to follow a physical therapy program.” 

10 months. That was almost a year. It was as if her world came tumbling down. This injury could ruin her athletic career and her scholarship. What could she do now? The doctor continued talking about when she should probably get her surgery and the procedures they would follow. 

Someone knocked on the door. The doctor strode across the room to reach for the door. At that moment Petyr squeezed her shoulder gently. He understood this must be hard for her. She told him that he appreciated his gesture touching his hand with hers. Somehow the contact calmed her. 

The doctor opened the door and a boy older than Sansa entered the room. Not just any boy. 

“Robb?” Robb was the last person she was expecting right now. She figured it was going to be her coach or any of her teammates but not Robb. It had been more than a week since the last time she had talked to him. He was normally too busy with college or hanging out with his friends. 

Petyr took his hand from Sansa’s shoulder swiftly as he moved towards the door. She missed his touch already but she knew he just wanted to give her some privacy to talk to her brother. If Robb noticed their little interaction he didn’t show it. Petyr turned at the door and looked at her. “I have to go, I’m sure Brienne will come to see how you’re doing.” With this he opened the door en exited the room.

Robb looked at her sister and then at her swelled knee. His face turned into a grimace. “How do you feel? Coach Davos told me what happened. How are you? Should I call mum and dad?” 

Sansa felt overwhelmed by Robb’s questions. She told him about her injury and the surgery. Robb listened to her with concerned eyes. When she finished, he reached for her phone and dialed her mother. Robb passed the call to Sansa. She was happy to listen her mother’s voice. 

“Hi honey! Robb told me what happened, Are you ok?” Sansa told her she was fine even though she hadn’t felt more miserable in her life. They kept talking about her surgery and when they could travel from Winterfell to see her again until she was startled by another knock on the door.

 

________________________

 

Petyr watched how Sansa’s teammates entered the room he had just abandoned. She was lucky in that way. She had people who cared for her, even if they were some noisy teenagers. ‘ _You care for her too you idiot_ ’. 

He continued walking through the corridor towards the exit. Davos was talking to Brienne at the hospital hall. ‘ _Shit_ ’ He wasn’t in the best mood to maintain a conversation with them. They were staring at him and Davos nodded in his direction. ‘ _I guess I can’t help it now’_. 

“Baelish, thanks for bringing Sansa here” acknowledged Brienne. He hoped that his sudden reaction to Sansa’s fall didn’t raise any suspicion. He was actually quiet worried when he noticed that Sansa wasn’t getting up from the floor, so he quickly called the physiotherapist and went to get an ice pack for her.

He could still remember her face when the doctor told her the diagnosis. It almost broke him in half. He knew from firsthand experience how hard it was to hear that she couldn’t play basketball anymore. If he could have hugged her at that moment he would have done it, even if it had been a little awkward. 

Petyr was a master at controlling his expressions but with Sansa everything was different. He had to find a way to make it up for her. She was going to be miserable and he couldn’t bear watching her that way.

“Don’t mention it” He didn’t like Brienne very much. She wasn’t the brightest of coaches but her hard work and attitude made up for it. Well she was actually better than Davos in his opinion. Davos was stuck in his old ways, never trying anything new.

“So how is she, is it bad?” Petyr turned to Davos. 

“She has torn completely the anterior cruciate ligament of her right knee” Brienne and Davos’ face grimaced. 

They knew what he had just told them. It was a nasty injury. The knee is a special articulation; it permits the flexion and extension of the leg and therefore most of the body’s movements. It was also one of the worst injuries to recover from. A sprained ankle was nothing compared to a sprained knee. The knee took more time to heal until it could work the way it used to. So imagine if you have torn one of the knee’s main ligaments. It hurts.

“I’m going to see her, which one is her room?”

“The third one going down the corridor” Petyr signaled. Brienne left them walking in hurried pace towards Sansa’s room.

“Well that’s bad, she was playing a great game”

The game. He had forgotten about it. “How was the game? Who won?”

“The sand’s snakes did, after Sansa’s injury there was nothing they could do. It was as if her team suddenly tumbled down without her”

“She is not going to like that” Petyr noticed Davos eyeing him suspiciously. He ignored him.

“Well, I think I should go” With this Petyr left Davos standing at the hall.

He needed a break. The game’s euphoria and Sansa’s injury had exhausted him. He still had to talk to Tyrion, although something told him that it was going to be useless. Petyr strode across campus towards the parking lot. He could still here people yelling and cheering from the game. A lot of people had come from Dorne to watch it.

Petyr felt powerless, Sansa didn’t deserve this. He could empathize with her. He recognized her contained rage, how she blamed herself for everything that had happened, her unshed tears. He had felt the same way when Brandon Stark cut him in half.

He remembered how her hand felt over his. She had thanked him for taking her to the hospital and had squeezed his hand. Her skin had felt so soft and the way she looked at him. She was too pure. She somehow had returned his gestures of affection, right? This couldn’t be happening. Either he was the luckiest man on earth or he was going mad. 

Petyr stopped and looked at the hospital. _‘I’m lost’_. He was completely lost. Lost to her. He was going to make Sansa Stark happy even if it was the last thing he’d do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 3.
> 
> This may be the fluffiest chapter I've written so far.  
> Hopefully my grammar is better.  
> Don't expect me to update a new chapter soon, I didn't planned on updating so fast but it just kind of happened. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	4. Pre-season

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr has an unexpected call.
> 
> Sansa thinks about her future.

Petyr tapped his foot against the floor. The last rays of light invaded his office through the windows signaling the end of the day. He didn’t mind and kept working. He was used to working late until the early hours in the morning. He liked to sleep but didn’t need it as much as other people.

He had spent the whole afternoon planning his lectures for the next school year. It had been tedious work but he was far from finished. He couldn’t complain though. He preferred his life now; it was easier, less risky. It was quiet boring to be honest. 

 _‘Fuck it’_ He stood up from his chair and went to the living room to pour himself a glass of whisky. He couldn’t control his thoughts. They kept drifting towards her. The liquid fell down his throat. She invaded his mind more often lately. Everyday.

Brienne had told him that she had gone through surgery well during summer and she was recovering slowly. She went to every team practice even if she couldn’t play. He just needed to see her again, to know that she was okay. He didn’t buy what her coach had told him, that she was fine. Nobody is fine after going through surgery and having to wait a year to play again. Not someone like Sansa. 

It’s true that he didn’t know her that well though. Maybe she was fine and he just wanted an excuse to see her again. It had been 4 months since the incident and he hadn’t talk to her. She decided to go back to Winterfell early with her family before finishing the school year. He saw them leave from his office. From the window he watched how Cat helped Sansa to get in the car and chat with one of her roommates.

She didn’t look as he remembered her. Her hair was darker and her face had changed, it didn’t glow as much as it did before. She still had the same regal stance that distinguished her, showing how superior she was from everyone else. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes. Even from the distance she could ignite the little flame of hatred he felt for her since that fateful night.

He took another drink from his glass. He wasn’t the same stupid teenager; he had been blind and foolish. His hatred towards Sansa’s family was certainly justified, towards Ned and Cat, at least. If only he hadn’t been that naïve.

 The ring of his phone startled him. Reluctantly he rose from the armchair and went to pick it up.

“Baelish”

“Hi, it’s Olyvar” This was certainly a surprise. He hadn’t known anything from him since, well, since the drug bust. Before settling in his comfortable life as a teacher, Petyr Baelish had made himself a name in King’s Landing drug network. It was quiet a profitable business; it had helped him to go through college after the Tully’s kicked him out. He had managed to acquire several contacts and made some powerful friends. Associates, he didn’t have friends. Except for Olyvar, if he could call him that. "What do you want Olyvar?" He answered dryly.

 “Really? After what I’ve done for you, you talk to me like that? Unbelievable” He tried to jest back. Petyr wasn’t in the mood to listen how Olyvar teased him.

He snorted “I don’t really want to talk to anyone right now, you know” He paused to take another drink from his glass. “Out of all the people that know my number you were the last one I was expecting, how do you have my phone?”

“Because I saved your ass from that dirty business a couple of years ago”. He retorted like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Petyr cursed and ran a hand over his face. “So?”

“You owe me one Baelish” Olyvar had been one of his best drug dealers during his “dark stage”. Especially inside KLU campus and its surroundings. Olyvar had been a student then.

“You know I don’t manage that kind of businesses anymore, right?”

Olyvar sighed; “I’m not referring to that specifically, I know you “retired” but everyone knows you keep your own agenda unofficially” Petyr couldn’t agree more.

“I meant it, I’m out. It’s not worth it. I have other means to get what I want”.

“You always do. Anyway, regarding my current call, I have a proposition for you” 

“You’re not my type Olyvar”. He teased with a smirked on his lips. 

Olyvar let a forced laugh “I’m not that desperate, not for that at least” 

“What do you want then?” 

“I wanted to ask you if you’d like to coach a team with me. I’m a teacher at KLHS and we need a new one” You have to be kidding me. First Tyrion and then Olyvar? If he found strange that Olyvar, ex-drug dealer, was teaching at a High School he didn’t tell. Who was he to judge? He was practically doing the same thing.

“I don’t know Olyvar” from his point of view high school teenagers were the same as college ones. He hadn’t have time to endure that type of hell. Maybe he was just getting old. 

Olyvar continued. “ You’d be able to keep teaching at college and keep your job. I know this sounds kind of stupid after all we’ve been through, but I would really appreciate it. Only for this year” 

“There’s a problem. There’s no way I’m putting up with you and a bunch of hormonal teenagers, I prefer the teenagers to be honest”. He was about to end the call when Olyvar spoke up.

“Well there’s a lot of people interested in the team so if you want I can find someone else who’d be willing to endure your temper and odd habits”. As soon as Olyvar finished his sentence a bulb lit up in Petyr’s mind. It could work in more ways than one. 

“Wait, I think I know someone”

“Really?” For some reason Olyvar sounded surprised. They were going nowhere if their relationship started this way, without any kind of faith. 

“Yeah, I’ll call you tomorrow I need to talk to her first”

“So, is that a yes?” Olyvar sighed relieved. “I can’t believe it was that easy”

“Hey, if I agree to this it will be under my own terms” Petyr replied quickly.

“Of course, great. Bye Baelish”

“Bye. I’ll call you tomorrow”

 

____________________________________________________________________ 

 

Sansa sat on the bench at the sidelines of the court watching the try-outs. She couldn’t play yet. The surgery had gone well during summer and her knee seemed to be progressing slowly. She could tread carefully now, but only a few steps. Her physiotherapist told her that she shouldn’t worry; she just needed to gain strength on her knee.

They were good. The freshmen this year was exceptionally good. She felt useless once again. This was bad, for her. She wasn’t going to recover in time and that meant losing an entire year.

That wasn’t the worst part; she would have to struggle more to get in the team next year. Not that she cared; she had already lost her scholarship.

They were moving on to the next drill when Brienne approached her. “How are you doing?”

It was the ninth time that she had asked her the same question. She was starting to be bothered by the blonde coach.

“A little bit better than last week and worse than next” she answered with a sigh. Brienne frowned. She was just joking but her face made her feel guilty. Her coach was always concern for her wellbeing and wanted to help her in anything she could, she didn’t deserve her attitude, even if she proved to be obtrusive all the time. 

“I’m fine, it’s just hard to watch them play while I’m here”. Brienne nodded “If you need anything tell me” and with these she left and continued giving directions to the players. 

Everything seemed the same, the same drills, the same team, and the same goals. But it wasn’t. Sansa felt out of place, she had started to grow distant from her teammates since the summer tournament that KLU had hosted. It had been nice to watch how her team won the last game against the Bravoosi team at the last seconds. She felt happy for her team, even if it had been hard not to be able to play with them. 

The bittersweet feeling hadn’t helped her during the summer. Her family noticed it but didn’t have the courage to ask her why she had become moodier than usual. The truth was that she felt lost. She didn’t like her situation; she hated to be useless and felt that she had to change something. One summer day, she started to research about her injury. After searching across different webs that showed the anatomy of the knee she ended up in a page about leg prosthesis and knee braces. She didn’t need a new leg yet but the knee braces caught her eye.

This is how she began to consider changing her career. Her current major wasn’t challenging enough so she took an interest in changing into an engineering one. The knee braces had ignited her curiosity and she found how some students from her university had made an exoskeleton to help little kids with motor problems. She had always been good with numbers and liked to help people. Encourage by this, she talked with her mother about her decision before enrolling in the new school year. She had not been happy with her, telling her that she was wasting her time. 

“I don’t like my major and my grades are good, why can’t I change?” Sansa asked fiercely to her mother. 

“Why would you like to change it now? You don’t even like numbers, you’ll be wasting a whole year in something that doesn’t make sense.” The truth was that her mother still held the stupid stigma that girls shouldn’t study science majors. It was ridiculous. 

“It doesn’t make sense to you. It’s not fair” She didn’t have the right to choose what she wanted to do with her life. “For your information, I’m good with numbers. I’ve always been. You just didn’t want to see it because you’ve wanted me to follow Robb’s steps and study law”

Catelyn didn’t reply but the irritation on her face was clear. “Let me try for one semester. I can’t play basketball anymore so time won’t be a problem. I only need to figure out my passion mum, it’s not a crazy career like becoming an artist”. She couldn’t say no to that. Jon, her half-brother, had recently dropped from college to form his own band. Sansa knew it was a low blow but did not care. Sansa gave her mother a winning smile when she nodded showing her that she agreed.

Brienne gather the players in the middle of the court to explain them the next drill. She couldn’t bear to stay and watch the rest of the try-outs. What was the point if she couldn’t play?

She stood up with her crutches and moved towards the exit. Fortunately her apartment wasn’t far from the gym. Brienne saw her and nodded telling her that she understood why she was leaving.

 

The semester started tomorrow and she wanted to start organizing her schedule. Maybe Margeary had arrived and they could watch a movie together. She was walking on the sidewalk of the street when a dark and expensive car stopped and parked next to her. A man with dark hair and ash on his temples got out of the car and looked at her. She knew those green eyes.

“Petyr?”

“Hi sweetling! It’s the practice already over?” She took in his polish appearance. He always wore such nice suits. Sansa felt a little cowed by him to be honest. She was only wearing jeans and a white blouse like a normal college student.

“It’s not over, I just decided to leave. I wasn’t doing anything anyway” He started to walk next to her. She could feel how his shoulder grazed hers as they moved along the sidewalk. 

“How is your knee?” She was beginning to hate that question. Trying very hard to be nice she decide to tell him the truth.

“It’s not recovering fast enough” She sighed. 

Petyr looked at her and tried to cheer her up. “I’m going to have to buy you a new one” 

“Can it be a wooden leg so I can become a pirate” She jested back.

 Petyr smiled with that devilish grin of his “And let you terrorize the freshmen? No, I could never allow such a thing”.

“I didn’t know you cared for them. I always thought you despised everyone”

Petyr stopped. “Not everyone” 

Sansa gave him a coy smile. He was staring at her again that way. Trying to tell her without words how he felt. Looking into her soul. She smile wider and blushed turning away to keep walking. 

“That’s better”

She gave Petyr a puzzled look “What’s better?”

“Your smile, it looks better on you than the previous look you had” His expression had changed into a sadder one. It touched her that he worried about her so much. 

“What look?” She suspected what he was referring to.

“The one that tells everyone how miserable you are” They stood in front of each other. She could smell the mint on his breath. Sansa tried to ignore the closeness by looking to anywhere but his eyes. 

“It’s hard not to be able to do what I could before” She started to walk again until she felt his hand reached hers and stopped her. 

“Sansa, tell me if you need anything. I can’t bear seeing you like this” 

Sansa gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you, it’s just… weird. I can’t even remember how it felt to be completely recovered instead of having to walk with these… stupid crutches” She pointed out her last sentence shaking said objects.

Petyr chuckled “If it helps, I think you look cute with them”

“I’ll take it as a compliment” she laughed. He really did know how to make her smile.

“I may be able to cheer you up”

Sansa raised an eyebrow. “How?” 

Petyr sighed as if trying to order his thoughts before answering her. “Recently, a friend of mine asked me to coach the KLHS basketball team and I was wondering” He turned to look at her “if you’d be interested in helping me with it. As coach assistant. Only for this year”

She couldn't think. She only heard herself say.

“Yes”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 4
> 
> Thanks for all the comments that I've received from this fic. I love the feedback
> 
> I don't know why but this chapter has been the hardest to write so far.
> 
> Hope you like it :)


	5. Lemon Cheesecake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa, Petyr and Olyvar meet to plan the basketball season

She was late. Maybe this was not such a great idea. How is she supposed to coach a team anyway? What if the players ignore her? Today was proving to be quite a challenge. She had just returned to her apartment from her first day of classes and she barely had any time to have lunch.

The wind hit her face when she stepped out of her apartment. Fall was slowly showing its colors and you could feel it in the air, even in a warm place like King’s Landing. She tried not to pay attention to the people on the street while she was rushing down the sidewalk with her crutches. They were meeting at a café very close to college and she did not need to go very far. Well, actually that was relative for someone who could not walk very fast.

She checked her phone when she reached her destination. She was definitely late now. Gazing across the little café, she succeeded to recognized Petyr talking to a blonde boy she did not know in a table next to the window. _’Well, there’s no going back now’_

She went to the table to join them. Petyr had his characteristic smirk in place and seemed somehow relaxed. It was odd to watch him interact with someone; he was usually a very reserved person.

Petyr saw her approach them and stood up to greet her. “There she is”. He said giving her a half smile. The blonde turned to look at her. She moved forward to the seat Petyr had pulled for her. “I’m sorry to be late”

“We thought you weren’t going to come. You’re not regretting your decision, are you?” Sansa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “No, I’ve just come from class. It’s been a long day” she sat sown and noticed how the blonde stranger was offering his hand as greeting to her. “Hi”

Sansa shook it while Petyr answered the unasked question “Sorry, this is Olyvar. He’s the one that asked me to coach at KLHS. He’ll be helping us during the season as coach assistant”.

“Nice to meet you”

“Nice to meet you too” Olyvar smiled at her. He seemed nice and was not bad looking either. “I’m curious to find out how you agreed to work with this guy over here. He’s not the most pleasant company to have”

Sansa chuckled and looked at Petyr with a mocking smile. “No, he’s definitely not”

Petyr’s smirk widened “I’m glad to live up to my reputation” he looked at her prideful with a soft gleam in his eyes. Sansa tried not to blush and failed miserably, looking away coyly outside the window to hide it. “Well, I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn something new, now that I have time…” She looked at her leg and sighed. Luckily, today it was not bothering her as much as last week. She sometimes feared that she would never be able to walk normal again.

“I’m sorry, Petyr told me”. She looked at Olyvar again and gave him a light smile.

“It’s fine, I’ll be okay. I’m glad that Petyr asked me to do this actually. I had never pictured myself doing something like this”

“Don’t thank me yet. Do you want anything to eat before we begin? I bet you’re starving”. Her stomach let out a light rumble. How convenient. Sansa saw from the corner of her eye how Petyr tried to suppress a chuckle.

“Yes I hadn’t had time to eat lunch” she admitted “but I’m afraid I forgot my wallet at my apartment”.

“Don’t be silly. I’ll get it for you” Petyr insisted. He motioned his hand up to get the waiter’s attention. “It’s okay, you don’t have to” she really didn’t want to be an inconvenience.

“I know, but I want to. Besides, I need you at your full capabilities and you have to eat for that” she knew she was fighting a lost battle and was actually starving to death. She looked at the menu and her eyes shone when she read that they served lemon cheesecake. Olyvar was observing them surreptitiously while he drank his latte.

“Okay, but only if you let me share with you” she finally acquiesced with a mischievous smile. Petyr raised his eyebrows at her, surprised.

“Well, lucky for you I’m hungry” Olyvar snorted and spilled some of the coffee he was drinking. He coughed composing himself and produced a small apology. Sansa’s face was undistinguishable from a tomato.

The waiter arrived after what felt like an eternity. Petyr looked at Sansa as if daring her to order for him. She had an idea of what he might want after that last comment, but it wasn’t the appropriate time or place. She settled for a mint tea and a lemon cheesecake for both of them. Petyr nodded his head approvingly and licked his lips.

“All right. Shall we begin?”

________________________

 

 

They first talked about how were they going to organize the weekly practices. Petyr didn’t have enough information about the team so he had made a first draft of their year plan. He wrote down the basic things and abilities the team players needed to have to build a decent team. He knew he had by default unrealistic high expectations that they must meet or had the ability to achieve. Coaching was teaching, in a way, and Petyr liked the challenge.

He didn’t expected to see Sansa participate so actively in the meeting. She had great ideas even though some of them were too ambitious at the moment. She liked that about her, he had always related to her in that way. Her order came after he discarded one of her suggestions. ‘ _She looked so cute frustrated’_. He smirked stupidly at that thought.

“I agree with Petyr. From my experience if we want to have a strong defense we need to work as a solid block. For this, all the players have to know what they have to do and be in a proper physical condition” Olyvar said, finally participating in their conversation. He must felt a bit uncomfortable after watching his interaction with Sansa.

“I know but, wouldn’t it be more efficient if they worked on their physical endurance during the drills?” Remarked Sansa taking a bite from her lemon cheesecake.

“You’re right. It would be more practical in the long run, but right now we need to do screening and make sure they have an appropriate foundation from where we can start working” Petyr grabbed his fork and stole a bite from Sansa’s cheesecake. “We can’t build a house starting with the roof”

“I guess it makes sense, but once we start with the actual competition…” She continued. “We’ll do it your way” Petyr concluded. “It’s the most reasonable course of action” He ended this last sentence looking at Sansa while he tasted the piece of cake from his fork.

She gave him a half smile and took a sip from her mint tea. Petyr noticed how her lips touched the edge of the mug and she swallowed the hot liquid. The way she blushed every time he made a bold remark only encouraged him to push her boundaries. Her mind moved him. Moved him to keep testing her. To make her reason and think about what he had talked about. She had been a basketball player all her life and needed to see the things from a different point of view. He almost could perceive the path her lines of thoughts took through her irises. Always moving, never settling for a definitive answer. Searching

“What do we do next?” If it were not for Olyvar's cough he wouldn’t have noticed that Sansa had asked him a question. Swiftly, he composed himself without showing any sign of his small mishap.

“Eager, aren’t we?” he tried to joke. When he got no reaction he continued, looking at the calendar with all their practices marked. “Well, we have the whole season outlined and the first month of try-outs practices planned out. So, I think we are good for now. We should do monthly meetings to keep record of what we do. Preferably after practices, I believe that would be the easiest way so we can be on the same page”

“Makes sense” Olyvar stood up “I’m afraid I have to go, I have… an appointment” Petyr raised his eyebrows encouraging him to continue. “Don’t give me that look, it’s true. Besides if you keep talking in paragraphs you are going to bore to death our new friend” Sansa chuckled. She seemed to like Olyvar, which was not impressive. Olyvar could be very outgoing and charming, but behind his kind blue eyes laid one of the sharpest minds Petyr had known. He came from the streets like him, and knew what to do to survive.

Olyvar took a step and gave Sansa a peck on her cheek. He turned his face towards Petyr and nodded. “See you on Thursday then” He smirked “Don’t be late” He left giving Sansa a wink.

Petyr chuckled and shook his head. “What’s the matter?” asked Sansa confused. Petyr grabbed Sansa’s fork and took another piece of her cake. “He’s incorrigible” with this he raised the fork towards his mouth and tasted the tart treat again. Sansa raised an eyebrow.

“He has a date” He was not sure before but it was clear now. “He’s been checking his phone the whole time since we walked through the door. Apart from the fact that he has barely interrupted me, which is very unusual”

“He was wearing a new jacket too” Petyr shot his eyes up to look at her. Her mouth turned into a proud grin. “He forgot to take out the label from the store” With this she grabbed his fork taking a piece of cake to his mouth.

He accepted her offer, opening his mouth slowly to lick the fork. He saw her ice blue orbs observing him. Measuring his reaction. The faint flame of his chest rumbled louder with every breath he took. “You’re incorrigible”. His voice sounded lower than usual.

She pinched the cake with his fork again and took another piece. “I've learnt from the best” She casually tilted her face slowly and brought the fork near his mouth again. Couldn’t she see what she was doing? He was transfixed by her. Completely bewitched by her actions.

Lowering his voice even more than he thought himself capable of, he retorted seductively “Haven’t your parents told you not to play with fire?” He was warning her. She was starting something she would not be able to control. As if she was purposely playing this chaotic game of chance to get him. Why couldn’t he do the same? Maybe he was still broken. He looked at her hypnotic blue eyes and put those sad memories aside.

“I may have ignored their warning” she replied playfully. He was dying to touch her hair. He wanted to drown in those glossy auburn locks and brushed them for hours with his fingers. Petyr moved closer to her without breaking his gaze. From the outside it looked like he was about to tell her a secret.

“What a pity. Crippled and deaf at such a young age” His ears were invaded by the most beautiful music he had ever listened to. Her giggle filled his chest with joy and made him chuckled with her at his own lame joke. _‘Maybe there is a chance’_. They could make this work.

The piece of cake that was slowly flying towards his mouth changed its direction swiftly and landed on Sansa’s tongue. Well, if that wasn’t a clear invitation he was surely going mad.

“That was rude, I thought we were sharing” With a smirk he leaned towards her until he felt her breath on his lips.

“Were we?” she whispered. That was it. His lips found hers and felt himself drifting in to their kiss. Her lips were so soft that he could melt right there, in the middle of the little café and he wouldn’t care. She returned his kiss with a progressive confidence that fed his eagerness and his desire for her. He cupped her chin and felt how her lips parted to meet his tongue, deepening their kiss.

He felt how she slowed her pace and ended their kiss. Touching her brow to his she whispered, “I should go” he could listen how her breath evened. He looked up to her eyes and saw a trace of doubt and uncertainty through them. That gaze poured a cold bucket of water over his rumbling flame and almost panicked for a moment. As if sensing his own insecurity Sansa took his hand and kissed his knuckle reassuringly. “It’s okay, I have to go back to my dorm before it’s too late”

Petyr’s heart managed to beat again after feeling her touch. He let out a soft sigh and smile warmly at her. “Let me drive you to your door, I know it’s around the corner but I’d feel more relieved if I accompanied you”

“To my door Mr. Baelish? Who’s playing with fire now?” She retorted playfully caressing his cheek’s stubble.  

“Oh sweetling. If I were playing serious you’d certainly lose” With this he stood up and offered his hand to help her. Sansa thank him and together they left the little café, her hand holding his. She could almost walk like a normal person now. The physical therapy was helping a lot and she could lightly support her bad leg when she walked. He was so proud of her. She told her that she had an appointment tomorrow with her doctor. He would probably tell her to stop using those lame crutches and put her a special knee brace.

Petyr stopped his car and looked at her. Before he could say anything she asked him “Do you think this was a mistake?” Was she referring to their kiss? Yes, he knew that gaze. She had a point. He was older than her and a teacher, even if he didn’t had her in any of his classes. She may have suspected about the reason he asked her to help him with the basketball team, she was clever enough to figure that out. He couldn’t read regret in her eyes though, and that somehow made him feel surer.

“Maybe it wasn’t supposed to happen but I don’t regret it” He took her hand “Sansa, I really care for you” he started to rub absentmindedly her knuckles. “ I don’t know why but, I just can’t stand to see you miserable. If you don’t want anything it’s fine, somehow I feel like we shouldn’t…” But he couldn’t finish.

She was pressing her lips to his now. She kissed him with fervor for what felt like a fleeting eternity and then she stopped. Petyr opened his eyes and contemplate the redhead before his eyes. With a swift movement, he stepped out of the car to help Sansa get out.

Sansa leaned in and gave him a light kiss on his cheek. “See you on Thursday”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. Here is chapter 5.  
> Thanks for everyone who is still reading this story and for all the feedback I've received so far.  
> It's been hard to update recently because of, well... college.  
> I really wanted to update this story as soon as I could, so here it is.  
> Hope you like it.  
> Any kind of feedback would be appreciated.


	6. Closing the distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First practice session at KLHS. The attraction between Petyr and Sansa grows

Sansa entered her apartment breathing faster than usual. She laid her back against the door and let out a long sigh. Her mind was buzzing and could not process what had just happened. She kept replaying every instant of their kiss on her brain. The sweet press of his lips against hers, how his soft tongue felt when he parted her mouth slowly, allowing her to taste the mint of his breath...      

She could not act as if nothing had happened, could she? Today she had kissed Petyr Baelish during their planning meeting. (Could it even be considered a first date?) _‘Not just once, twice!’_. Her heart was hammering her chest without mercy. It did not mean she had not liked it, on the contrary. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to refrain herself from kissing him the next time they were together.      

“Sansa?” Of course, Margaery had to be at home. She stepped into their two-bedroom apartment living room and viewed how Margaery was painting her nails while she watched a TV show. The brunette saw her from the corner of her eye and raised her face to meet hers. “Hey, what’s up?”    

Sansa managed to sort her thoughts for a second. It would be suspicious to stay quiet for a long time. She needed to say something. “Just basketball stuff” She had known Margaery since she started college. They had connected from the first moment the met and had grown quite fond of each other. The fact that they were both taking the same classes only strengthened their friendship. She knew that Margaery would noticed if something was wrong with her and she was not feeling cleared enough to start talking about the torrent of emotions that were coursing through her.    

“Did you go to practice today?” She was planning to go, but considering that she was late to the meeting she did not.  “I went to see it for a while but I left early” Margaery had already assumed that she had been watching her team, so she did not contradict her.   

“It must be boring to go and don’t be able to do anything” She stood up and reached for the TV remote to change channels.    

“Yeah” Sansa replied fidgeting with the sleeves of her blouse. “So, how about you? Anything new?” She asked in return changing the direction of the conversation.   

“Not much. I didn’t pay much attention today at class” She raised a finger towards the door next to the sofa “There’s dinner on the kitchen counter, I saved you some chicken.” Sansa thank her and went to grab her dinner. She settled at the sofa next to Margaery and started eating. They both stayed silent while Sansa ate and Margaery watched ‘House’ on the TV.   

“I might have met a guy.” Sansa turned her head curious towards Margaery. She could have said the same but technically she already knew Petyr from before.   

“Really? How is he?” it was not strange for Margaery to meet a new guy every once in a while. She was more popular with boys than her. Sansa did not mind. After her disaster with Joffrey she stopped being as interested in dating as she was before. _‘Until today’_ she thought. She smiled stupidly remembering how she had teased him during their meeting.   

“He’s not much of a talker but he was kind of sweet” Margaery kept talking but she could only picture how his grey green eyes lit up after she had kissed him for the second time. She had felt his own insecurity after she asked him if kissing her was a mistake. It wasn’t for her. He had always been kind to her and was one of the few people in her life who really wanted to know what her thoughts were. He meant a lot to her. Besides, she had really wanted to at that moment. 

“I don’t know how to say this Sansa but don’t get mad” Sansa trailed of her thoughts and gave her a perplexed look. Margaery was looking at her gauging her reaction.“Why should I get mad? What’s his name?”     

“His name is Tommen”. She continued slowly in a lower voice.  

“As Joffrey’s brother? Really?” She did not remember talking to Joffrey’s youngest brother when she dated him, which wasn't a surprise. Joffrey was normally smoking pot and playing videogames with his stupid friends and never really cared a slight for her or his siblings. She still couldn’t believe how she ended up dating someone like him.    

“I know you had a history with Joffrey and it ended… badly”. ‘Badly’ was putting it mildly. Her parents had been confused when she told them she decided to break up with Joffrey. They had been pretty excited to know they were together in the first place, because her dad and his dad were best friends or something like that.     

“Considering he doesn’t beat me anymore, I guess it ended pretty well” She still could feel how her cheeks stung and her muscles ached because of one of his several bipolar outbursts  

“You know what I mean Sans. Besides, he’s nothing like Joffrey” She knew that Margaery would do whatever she wanted no matter what she said.   

“I know Marge… As long as you’re happy I don’t have anything against it" Sansa took a sip of her ice tea and realized something. "Isn’t he like two years younger than you?”     

“If you are saying that there’s going to be a problem because he’s still in high school you’re wrong” Sansa gave her a perplexed look. Margaery misinterpreted her face and raised her voice clearly annoyed "He's eighteen! For the love of God, I know what I'm doing"  

Sansa chuckled and looked down to her dinner. She wasn't in the best position to judge her. Her "relationship" with Petyr is very unusual too. _'I'll have to tell her one day if it gets serious’._ She could imagine her friend’s reaction the moment she’d tell her. She’d be shocked. _‘Or not. You never know with Marge’_. The thing was that she was not even sure if what they have could be considered a relationship. Although it's obvious there is something going on between them. 

“I see you’ve had a great start of semester” Sansa’s smirk changed into a mischievous grin. Margeary covered her face with her hands in exasperation for a moment and then burst into laughter. “It’s going to be interesting, isn’t it?”    

Sansa finished her dinner and walked into her room to do her homework. It had been only the first day but she already had a lot of work to do if she wanted to get ahead. Margeary huffed when she told her that she was going to withdraw to her room to study, but she ignored her.  She had to prove to her family that changing her major was not a mistake. Maybe she could ask Petyr for help. She didn’t even know what kind of subject he taught at college. The clock turned three times before she started to feel drowsy and decided to turn in for the night.  

She thought about the man with ash on his temples as she got into bed. Wishing he could be here with her so she would not feel lonely anymore. 

 _______________________________________

 

Petyr was returning to his office when Tyrion approached him. "I won't pretend to know what goes on your mind Baelish, but I just need to know why?"  

The small man hastened to follow his gait. Feigning bewilderment, Petyr shrugged and ignored his confused interrogator. He knew that Tyrion would address him eventually. Reluctantly, he opened the door to his office and made a gesture to invite the Lannister inside.   

"So?" There was no anger in his look. If he really knew something about the man from all the years they had been working together, was that he was practical. He accepted that Petyr was not going to accept Davos' position as the boys coach but was curious of his motives. Petyr smirked for a second before schooling his features into his usual mask.    

"They made me a pretty convincing offer" Tyrion huffed in disbelief. "Don't worry. I would still be able to teach here at college, how did you know anyway?"  

Now was Tyrion's turn to smirk. "I have my ways" He approached slowly to his desk. "If you wanted more money you could have asked for it you know". Great, he must have really wanted him to take the boys coach position if he was using money to bargain with him. The old Lannister way.   

Petyr interlaced his fingers on his desk and looked at him. He really would prefer to be doing something else than talking to him. Like thinking about Sansa, for instance, or kissing her. There was no amount of money enough for him to rethink his decision. Not after yesterday.  

"I appreciate your offer, really. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline, again." Petyr stood up and motion towards the door opening it. Tyrion followed him. "If you need something else, you know where I am"   

"I'm warning you Baelish. I don't think something would happen but Tywin was pretty disappointed when I told him you didn't wanted the post" Petyr recognized the threat in his voice but decided to stand motionless, waiting for him to continue. "He can't afford another humiliation like last year's and he strongly believes that you're the perfect coach for the team."  

"I'll keep it in mind, thanks for the heads up" Tyrion studied him and nodded his head defeated, finally exiting his office and leaving Petyr alone with his thoughts.  

He felt a light buzzing coming from his jacket. He took the phone and smile surprised. Sansa had messaged him. 

 _I need a ride for this afternoon. Could you pick me up?_  

 He replied almost instantly. _I'd be honored._  

 

 _______________________________________

 

"Hi" Petyr was smiling warmly at her. Suddenly she felt a little shy and looked away from his face, blushing. "Hi, thanks for giving me a ride".  She closed the car door and settle next to the driver's seat. Petyr started the car.   

He was looking quite handsome today, wearing a forest green polo shirt with a pair of joggers and running shoes. It was an unusual look for him, more practical and comfortable than his normal suits. _‘Of course it is, we are going to a basketball practice, not a wedding’_.   

They drove in silence for the most part of the ride. Sansa stole furtive glances from Petyr during the journey. He seemed to notice because he was staring directly at her the next time she decided to look. “Like what you see?”   

She would slap that smirk of his face gladly if she could. “It’s so weird to see you without a suit”  

“We’re going to play basketball so I figure that wearing a suit wasn’t the most appropriate option”  

They arrived half-hour before the practice began. King’s Landing High School was closer to the Red Keep than KLU and you could see the prominent structure behind the school. Sansa and Petyr got out of the car and walked toward the entrance. They were strolling through the corridors in silence, their shoulders and arms lightly grazing.   

“You look lovely, by the way” Sansa fought back a blush. Well, she guessed that meant he hadn’t forgotten their kiss. “And I see you no longer need to walk with the help of those awful crutches”. 

“I only carried them as a fashion statement. It didn’t catch on, unfortunately”. _Oh shit_. Did that sounded as stupid as she really think it sounded? Petyr didn’t seem to care and leant gracefully towards her to give her a sweet peck on the cheek. “I’m glad your knee is better. If we need to do an example to explain a drill you’ll be the first person to volunteer” Sansa blushed, not sure if it was for the sweet gesture or the sudden nervousness of having to explain a drill to thirty hormone teenagers she didn’t know.  

Petyr’s smirk disappeared from his face as he sensed her nervousness. he moved in front of her before entering the gym, his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them with his thumbs smoothly. “Don’t worry about it, you’ll do fine” She reached up to hold his hands and interlaced her fingers with his. Somehow this calmed her, knowing she could just be herself with him, without masking her insecurities. It was terrifying actually. 

“You don’t even need to anything. You just need to pay attention at what I say and how I say it. We planned everything yesterday so you know what we’re going to do. If something doesn’t go as planned it’s not the end of the world. Handling a group of bratty teenagers it’s not easy but we can always make them run until they learn to listen” Sansa chuckled and looked at his forest pools.  

“You have to stop watching _‘_ Coach Carter’”. He let out a hearty laugh and leant slightly towards her. She licked her lips unconsciously and went with her instinct. 

She closed the distance between them and captured his lips in a kiss. He didn’t hesitate and kissed her back. She could distinguish the unmistakable taste of mint on his lips and that alone drove her crazy. He buried his hand in her hair and she put her hands around his torso, drawing him closer, feeling him.  

A door closed in the distance with force. Sooner than either of them would have wished, they separated. Startled, they searched the origin of the slam.  Walking towards them across the empty corridor was Olyvar accompanied by a group of high school students. Sansa hoped not to look as flushed as she felt and was a little disappointed to notice that Petyr didn’t seem affected at all by their previous interaction. 

Olyvar greeted Petyr with a nod and grinned at Sansa. “You’re not late, good job”. Sansa huffed and shook her head. “Well, good afternoon to you too Olyvar”. 

The players were arriving as the time to start the practice approached. Sansa went over the different drills they were going to do with Olyvar for the last time, just to be sure. When the time came, Petyr gathered all the players at the court center.   

“Good afternoon everyone! My name is Petyr Baelish and I’m going to be your new coach from now on. These are Olyvar and Sansa; they’ll be helping me until the end of the season and you must address them with the utmost respect at all times as well.” A small murmur spread across the gym. Sansa had heard some of the players talk to each other about her behind her back. They claimed naively that she should be the new manager and that that was the only reason of why she had to be here. Sansa was pleased to watch their confused faces looking at her in bewilderment. Some of them appeared to be about to ask something but Petyr’s ice gaze silenced them without even moving his littlefinger, as if he was daring them to say something.  

Petyr gave the players several instructions they should follow if they wanted to get in the team and told them about the first drill they were going to do. Sansa listened carefully to everything he said, paying meticulous attention to his actions.

He had become someone totally different. His mere presence imposed respect and caused all the attention to be focus on him. He managed to explain everything clearly enough for everyone to understood him and not for too long, to avoid wasting unnecessary time. Soon, the players were divided in two different groups and started to do what Petyr had told them. Olyvar and Sansa were moving along the sidelines, giving directions from time to time when they believed it was appropriate. Sansa was surprised to see that the players actually listened to her and paid attention to every correction she told them.  

During the five-minute break, a sand-haired boy approached where she was sitting and introduced himself as Harry. She had noticed him before during practice. If he kept playing the way he did he would probably end up making the team as one of the regular players. "So, how is it that someone like you is our new coach?" The smile on Sansa’s face twitched for a second. Mustering all her self-control, she faked a smile and answered his question. “I'm your coach because they wanted someone to teach how to play actual basketball and not just to swage the ball against the court’s floor” Harry was taken aback by her reaction and was about to reply when Olyvar called the players to continue with the practice.  

Petyr appeared behind Harry and gave him a "friendly" slap on the back. “Come on Hardyng! You could train all your life and never be half the basketball player she is” Harry apparently knew when to stay silent and went towards the group of players that were listening to Olyvar.  

Sansa huffed and Petyr turned to look at her. “You’re incorrigible” Petyr smiled knowing what she meant and motioned his head for her to follow him.  

 _______________________________________

 

 _‘Well, it could have been worse’_ All the players had gone and Sansa was helping Olyvar and Petyr to order all the material and basketballs they had needed during practice.  

Sansa was about to leave the room where she had put the basketballs away when she almost collided against Petyr. He held her by the waist and helped her stand up. They stared at each other for a moment. Before Sansa could say thank you, he broke the silence. 

"You were wonderful today sweetling" Sansa moved her fingers to touch the collar of his polo shirt noticing how well it matched his eyes. "I'm sure that Harry or anyone who thinks that you’re not supposed to be here will think twice before opening their mouths ”

His gaze was boring into her now. Unmasking her. Sansa’s skin bristled when he leant and kissed her forehead. His demeanor had changed so briskly from before. The man who was holding her was not “Coach Baelish” as the kids had called him, poised and stoic. He was Petyr, warming and loving. Stealing kisses from her at any chance he got. Praising her efforts and telling her how proud he was of her.

“You are beautiful” It was merely a whisper, but they were so close that Sansa heard it perfectly. Slowly he raised his hand to cradle her cheek. Sansa leant her head, craving the contact and closed her eyes. A fleeting moment passed before Petyr flooded her senses. He pressed her against him closing the inexistent space between them. Sansa wrapped her arms around him and relished his kiss as if it was the last. They had been together the whole afternoon but she had missed him anyway.

She had missed the way his hair felt as she weaved her fingers through it. She had missed the little sounds he made every time he gasped for air, struggling breathless, without breaking their kiss. She had missed his hands, his touch, and it had only been two hours. _‘He is such a good kisser’_. Sansa didn’t have much experience with kisses but he was so different from Joffrey. She never had liked the way Joffrey had kissed her, shoving his wet tongue forcefully into her mouth not caring if she wanted or not. No, she definitely preferred Petyr. He was always careful with her, making her feel adored with every move he made.

Her hands roamed, feeling his lean hard body around her. She couldn’t help but let out a slight moan against his mouth when he tucked his hand under her yellow sweatshirt, grazing her nipple through the fabric of her bra. He took advantage of her little distraction to attack her neck. Sansa got lost in the moment and let go. There was only him and her right now, nothing else mattered. Petyr pushed her slowly towards the closest wall without breaking their kiss. She lifted her leg around his waist and pulled him closer, making them both gasp when their clothed sexes met. Petyr grabbed her thigh and started to move his hand up and down.

The rhythm of their movements increased fervidly with every kiss they shared and soon they were rocking against each other. She could feel his erection pressing against her while his mouth came back to hers. Petyr moaned when she deepened the kiss, moving her tongue to touch his. She knew what they would end up doing if they did not stop. Sansa would have preferred to wait a little longer, get to know Petyr better. She honestly did not not know if it was her insecurities thinking, or the perfect little lady her parents had raised. Although, the only thing that seemed to mattered right now, was the wetness she was feeling below and how he could help her with it.

But before Petyr could do anything about her needs, Sansa heard the jingle of Olyvar’s keys and some steps approaching towards the little room. He must have heard it too because he stop and broke their kiss. Petyr cursed under his breath and fixed his hair and clothes as fast as he could. Sansa did the same and could not help but notice the bulge on Petyr’s pants. ‘ _Someone was certainly eager’_. Petyr followed her gaze and hastily grabbed the closest basketball to cover it. Sansa suppressed a nervous giggle before they heard a knock on the half open door.

“Can you stop making out? I need to close the gym” Sansa blushed and covered her face with her hands. Petyr opened the door and held the basketball against his waist, covering his erection with one hand in the most dignified way he could.

“I thought you were gone” He replied calmly. Olyvar’s gaze was intermittent between her face and Petyr’s, taking in their disheveled appearance.

“Well, I wasn’t going to leave you locked in here!” Olyvar smirked and continued with an insinuating voice “Although if you want I can leave you the keys, but I’d have to ask you to clean the room afterwards. The kids use this room during their P.E classes, it’ll be unfortunate if you leave them a little present” With this he shook his keys telling them they needed to get out and left.

Sansa stepped forward and reached for Petyr’s hand. She felt how he relaxed almost immediately and looked at her over his shoulder. She closed the distance and kissed him on the lips before making her way out of their small shelter. Petyr followed her a few steps behind before he tugged her arm and pulled her closer, catching her mouth in a fervent kiss.

The first thing she could discern after recovering her breath was the satisfied look on his eyes, his cheeky smirk in place. He made a small motion with his head towards the door and winked at her.

 

“Let’s go”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 6! 
> 
> This was such a hard chapter to write! But I really had a lot of fun writing so I guess that's what matters.
> 
> Thanks for all the feedback and the kudos so far, it means a lot.
> 
> Hope you like it
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	7. 1-on-1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa has a little conversation with Margeary and meets with Petyr at the most unexpected place

Sansa raised her face up from her book and looked annoyed at Margaery. "Can you stop doing that?" She demanded with a loud whisper. Her calculus homework was hard enough without Margaery's fingers constantly tapping at the table.  The alluded girl tsked and gave her a serious look. "Where were you yesterday afternoon?" 

Sansa sighed and stopped writing in her notebook. She knew that Marge would want to know what she was up to, but did it have to be right now? Yesterday's practice had been different than the first one because Petyr had insisted for her to get early to do her knee’s recovery exercises. He had been so patient with her. She was still scared of forcing her knee, to do anything like sprinting or jumping.

“No way, what is that?” Petyr looked at her and raised his eyebrows “Resistance bands, for your knee” Sansa approached him and took one of the elastic bands from him. She stretched it a little and watched it returned to its original shape. “How do they work?”

Petyr smirked “Do you trust me?” She knew he was up to something. His eyes had a light glint of amusement and impatience, as if he was a little kid dying to show her the last magic trick he had learnt.

“Petyr I’m serious, my physical therapist hasn’t told me to do anything with these for my knee” In fact, the only thing he had told her to do was to walk regularly and do some light running on her elliptical machine.

“How many months have passed since you had surgery?” He was holding her hands now, gazing seriously at her. This was not a strange game of his. The look he was giving her was not the same playful one he always liked to wear, anytime he was around her. This was the moment she realized, he really cared about her.

“Around three or four months” Petyr nodded and leant to kiss her forehead. She closed her eyes, enjoying the brief contact.

“Then you should be able to do this if you have followed your physical therapy program correctly” Sansa sighed. She knew he was right, she just had the irrational fear of hurting her knee again. She would have to overcome that feeling sooner or later and right now Petyr was lending her a hand, telling her she did not have to do it alone.

She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a small kiss on the lips. “All right, I’ll trust you”. Petyr took the elastic band from her hand and stretched it in front of her, teasing her with a mischievous smile. Sansa rolled her eyes. Now he was just being annoying.

Petyr guided her through the several exercises he had planned for her knee. They went pretty well. She even managed to do some sprinting across the court, feeling more confident than before. It was refreshing to be able to run again, to feel how her heart had raced to compensate the effort made by her body. It was as if she started to work correctly again, after a long time.

There was a moment when she almost lost her balance in one of the stances but he caught her in time, stealing another kiss from her lips. There was definitely something going on between them, even if she did not know what it was. Petyr seemed to be on the same page, comfortable enough to act the way he did with her, but not sure enough to address the matter. Whatever it was, he made her giggle like a five year old every time he showed this playful side of his. ‘ _Like a love-struck fool’_.

Margaery gave her an expectant look. Something told her that she would have to be honest with her or she would turn her life into a living nightmare. She had a very strong character sometimes. “Fine” Margaery grinned victoriously.

Sansa sighed trying to put her thoughts in order. “You know that I can’t play basketball this season, right?” Marge nodded motioning her to continue.

“Well, one of the coaches approached me and asked me if I would be interested in helping him coach at KLHS, as coach assistant” The people at the library where starting to give them annoyed looks.

“You mean, coach Baelish?” Sansa’s eyes widened.

“What?” A girl seating a couple of seats away from them coughed loudly.

Margaery shrugged “Tommen told me. His friends went to the first day of try-outs and he accompanied them. He was actually planning to go too, but he chickened out at the last moment” Of course, she should have imagined this. For some reason Sansa expected Marge to be more honest with her, instead of spying her through a third party.

“So, you knew where I was all along?” Margaery stood silence taking in the disappointment that rung through her words. She managed to compose herself quickly clearing her voice. “I just wanted to know if you’d lie to me about it. You’ve been pretty distant lately”

Sansa huffed at her picking up her things more abruptly than necessary. “You could have asked, instead of going behind my back” The students closest to them started shushing at them softly.

Margaery raised her arms. “That’s what I did, didn’t I?” She almost could not believe her childishness. _‘Yes you did, as a last resort’_. She stood up suddenly grabbing her bag. “You know what I mean” She left striding briskly towards the exit. Margaery was about to reply when several irked students hushed her.

She headed towards her next class. She still had to finish the work she couldn’t do because of Margaery’s interrogation. It was certainly going to be a hard afternoon. She was really looking forward to practice. _‘Maybe I can shoot some hoops’_ Petyr had told her that she should be careful with doing high-speed movements or pivoting exercises to avoid injuring her knee again. As long as she did not do anything like that she was fine.

Sansa couldn’t help to feel a bit guilty about how she had left her conversation with Margaery. On one hand she was her only close friend here at KLU. On the other, she did not deserve to be treated that way. They have been living with each other for a year, which should be enough to guarantee a certain level of trust and confidentiality between them. _‘Maybe she's just upset because you do not spend as much time with her as last year’_. That was true. She had been distancing slowly from her since the beginning of the semester.

She opened the door and entered into the classroom. She was early. There were only a few students scattered across the room talking or looking at their phones. She moved towards the front of the class and sat on the front row. Always ready to pay attention, because honestly, who doesn't like a good two-hour class about “ _Signals and Linear Systems_ ”?

 

 _______________________

 

 

Sansa left her class more confused than when she entered. Predicting that the semester could be disastrous, she decided to go to the nearest bookshop to buy some of the textbooks the professors had recommended her during the week. She knew that the books would be generously overpriced, but so would be her next year’s college tuition if she did not passed the subject.

The bookshop was almost empty. ‘ _Of course, it’s lunch time’_. The old lady behind the counter muttered something in acknowledgment but Sansa could not hear it. Ignoring what have just happened, she wandered across the little shop looking for the engineering section. She was eyeing one the books she needed to buy when a well-known husky voice startled her.

“Having fun?” Sansa smiled when she felt his body get closer to her.

“With Fourier? Always” She closed the book and turned, his gaze meeting hers. He smirked and took her book from her hands, eyeing it skeptically.

“Should I be jealous?” She admired the way his hand slide across the book’s cover thinking how would it felt in other more pressing parts.

“I don’t know, should you?” She bit her lip sheepishly. Petyr leant closer, supporting himself with one arm against the bookshelves. His breath grazing her nose. Sansa inhaled deeply without breaking her eyes from his. Her body was calling him, she was dying to kiss him and touch him like she did the first day of try-outs. For a moment, she forgot that they were in a public place and that it would not be appropriate if someone were to see them. _‘Who cares? Really’_ All that mattered was the way his eyes were devouring her slowly, inch by inch.

“Although, if you really want to make me jealous” He took two books from the shelve placing them in her hands “You should add these two to your list” She looked dazzled at the cover of the new books she was holding. They were the ones she was looking for.  

“How did you know these were the ones that I needed?” she inquired confused. Petyr’s smirk widened “I know everything sweetling, I think I’ve made that clear” His eyes looked down to the folder she was holding, with the booklist recommendations. Sansa blushed and averted her gaze. 

“Sorry, I forgot I was talking to the same man who knew how to fix scoreboards. You’ll have to tell me your secrets one day” His hand reached to her and lifted her chin. Her pulse raced with the immediate contact. Couldn’t he see what he was doing to her?

“I’ll tell you if you do me the honor of having dinner with me after practice tonight” Wait, did he mean dinner like, a date? The two of them alone? The prospect was certainly tempting. His alluring demeanor was not making it easy for her to think this through before making up her mind.

She held his gaze, watching how his hopeful green eyes measured her reaction. Something told her that she had his heart in the palm of her hand. She was starting to read him more easily every day. “Petyr… I” Her small hesitation struck him and he tensed his shoulders ready to receive her rejection.

Sansa shook her head lightly and took a step closer. She was holding her books by her side, under the crook of her arm, so they could be as close as she dared to be with him. Petyr watched her mesmerized as she cradled his cheek and leant to kiss him softly. It was only for a half-beat, but she felt how all of his body relaxed because of her small gesture. She grabbed her waist lightly and rested his forehead against hers.

“Of course, I’d love to Petyr” his face brightened. Sansa could not help but giggle when he kissed her affectionally on the nose, on her eyelids and finally on her lips once again.

The old lady coughed and raised her voice “Are you going to buy those books or not? My lunch break starts in five minutes”

Sansa blushed. Petyr snatched the books from her hands and moved towards the shop’s counter. Sansa could only stood there motionless as she watched Petyr pay for her books.

She fixed her posture and went to meet him.

“Hey, you didn’t have to. I can pay for my own stuff” Sansa pouted. Petyr stood silent as he watch how the old lady placed her books inside a plastic box, ignoring them completely. He grabbed the bag and winked at her. “I know, I just wanted to, so you can talk to me about them whenever you want” Sansa shook her head and took her books from him, grazing his hand on purpose.

“I have to go but I still need a ride for this afternoon” They were outside the little bookshop now. Students were starting to flow across campus as they went to their respective classes. “You don’t even have to ask” he pressed a light kiss on her forehead and left her, promising that he will pick her up later.

  _______________________

 

She was gorgeous. There were no other words to describe her. Sansa opened the driver’s seat door and hopped on the car. Her bright smile made him grin like a fool. He could tell she was happy, and that made him happy. “What are you looking at?” Petyr shook his head and returned to the real world.

“You’re gorgeous” Sansa blushed and gave him a coy smile. “You’re just bluffing” He needed to touch her. It was an urge of upmost priority. He leant to grab her sports bag and put it in the backseat behind her. Sansa turned her head to watch his movement and the moment she went to look forward he caught her face on a kiss. It felt like coming home. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him forward. They were not in the most comfortable position but they did not care. Her lips were the sweetest things he had ever tried and would gladly drown on them at anytime. They enjoyed their connection for a few minutes until Petyr regained some consciousness. “Sweetling, we are going to be late” Sansa’s pouting face made him chuckle.

“Don’t worry, I’m not done with you yet” He started the car and they were off. They arrived on time despite the traffic and their little distraction.

“Where are we going out to dinner? You didn’t tell so I brought some clothes in my bag, just in case” They were walking through the hallway towards the gym. There were still some kids walking around the school going to the library or taking their things from their lockers. You could smell the cafeteria’s food mixed with human sweat in the air screaming “high school”.

“I thought we could stay at my house, if that’s okay”.

She studied him, skeptically. “Is that your game Mr. Baelish?”

He shrugged “I don’t know what you mean, I just want to have dinner and spend a nice evening with you” They left their things at the gym’s office and went to take out all the material for the imminent practice.

“I assume there are no hidden intentions behind your innocent plan of having dinner. At your house” Petyr smirked and looked at her _‘If you only knew’_. He approached her and snatched the ball from her hands.

“Would it be that bad if there were?” He dribbled the ball a few times and made a jump shot. Sansa got his rebound and held the ball in her hands, looking at it in thought. “No”

Petyr helped her to go through her usual therapy program. Her movements grew more confident every time she repeated the same exercise. He refrained from telling her that she had an appalling physical therapist. She should have been able to do these exercises two months after her surgery, not four. He had spent a week researching her injury and certainly knew what he was doing.

“Come on Petyr, let’s see what you’ve got” She passed him the ball and moved in front of him, flexing her legs and inclining lightly her body into a defensive stance. Was she challenging him? Petyr smirked. He happily accepted her provocation and flexed his body as well.

“I’ll go easy on you, I know you can’t move as well as you’d liked” Sansa huffed and swiped her arm trying to steal the ball from him. He moved the ball out of her hand’s way and dribble towards the opposite direction. Sansa reacted quickly and managed to stand in front of him, making him change directions. He made a dribble between his legs and changed his pace quickly, leaving Sansa behind. He scored an easy lay-up and passed the ball smugly to Sansa. “Don’t stand so close to the player with the ball or it will be easy to surpass you”.

“I was just warming up” Petyr chuckled and looked daringly at her eyes. “Yeah, sure” They kept playing for a little while until Petyr got tired and ended up hugging Sansa to stop her from scoring. She giggled and complained that he was not playing fair. He ignored her comment and proceeded to tickle her sides, earning a few sweet squeals from her. She managed to stop his hands and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. She recovered the ball and threw it from the three-point line. _‘Chof!’_

“In your face Baelish!” Olyvar jeered walking towards them. Sansa laughed and gave Petyr a comforting hug. The newcomer rolled his eyes after seeing the smug grin that adorned Petyr’s face. “Seriously, what do you see in him?”

Sansa peck him on the cheek, provoking a light grimace on Olyvar’s face. “I don’t know”. Petyr raised his eyebrows at her. She smirked and stepped out of his embrace. “I need to get today’s drills from my folder, I’ll be back in a minute”

Petyr took a deep breath, he was not as young as before but he could still play decently against a half-injured pro player like her. He watched how her ponytail swung with her gait and refrained himself from following her. She ignited something inside of him he could not control, waking up the hope he had lost so many years ago. He would not lose her. He would fight all her family and his own demons if he had to.

Olyvar patted his shoulder and leant to whisper in his ear “Don’t fuck it up”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 7!  
> This chapter got a little bit out of control so I'm going to split it in two.  
> Thank you so much for the kudos, the comments and all of the feedback I've received so far. It really brightens my day. Hope you like it!
> 
>  
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	8. Rookie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr shows Sansa his house

Petyr began the practice by gathering everyone at the court's center. Olyvar, Sansa and him had agreed beforehand to divide the players into two different groups, depending on their skill level.   

Today's practice main goals where defense and more defense. They started doing a couple of running drills follow up by some 1-on-1 competitions. Petyr changed groups intermittently watching how his assistants managed to guide their players through the different exercises.    

"Don't level too much to the ball to deny the pass, just be ready for it. If you can't reach it don't bother and focus on the defense" Sansa had showed her reluctance at conducting the exercises at first, but she adapted quickly and handled her group as if she had been coaching all her life. "Be careful with the back door cut, never lose sight of your man and the ball"    

She had the innate ability to catch everyone's attention with only opening her mouth. The kids had learnt quickly to listen closely to her, despite being just a couple of years older than them. He was so proud of her. He knew that asking her to help him had been a gamble but it seemed to be going better than expected. She still made some mistakes though. She tended to ramble a little in her explanations or stopped the whole exercise to make little corrections she could have done without pausing it. ‘ _Rookie mistakes’_. As far as Petyr was concerned, it was normal. No one expected her to become Gregg Popovich in her first week on the job.   

Petyr was surprisingly content with the players in general. There were a couple of players who stood out because of their great handle of the ball. Most of them had decent shot technique and were generally tall. He could totally build a competitive team out of them. 'I need something more, I need attitude'.   

There was a moment during one of the drills when Harry got an inch too closer for his liking to Sansa, feigning to be listening to her corrections. A flame roared inside his chest. His need to move increased by the second. Step by step his feet carried him along the sidelines towards her. As in cue, Harry raised his gaze and met his for a brief second. The boy nodded barely hearing what Sansa had told him and returned to the court’s floor. Petyr’s eyes drilled into Harry’s back until he felt another more pleasant presence next to him. Her blue sea eased his agitation to a warm tingling. Her smile was enough to reassure him, enough to understand that his reaction had been foolish. _‘Like a fool in love’_   

He didn’t remember what that word meant for him anymore. He wasn’t expecting to grow this kind of fondness for none other than his former’s love interest kid. Sansa was not a kid though. She was a grown woman, in more aspects than others. Cat could never compare to her.  Could never equal the elegant way her hair swung every time she walked. Could never feel the same way as her sweet strawberry scented skin did against his lips. Could never make him feel like a foolish boy again, vulnerable, lost and eager for her thoughts, restless to know what on earth was going through her beautiful mind.    

She deserved so much more. He did not deserve her at all.  

He checked the time and made a sign to Sansa. She got his meaning and assembled her players. Practice was coming to an end and he had planned to do a little game. 5 against 5. 

Sansa and Olyvar chose to coach one team together making him go to the other. They wanted him to play? He would not let them down. They had not trained any kind of special systems yet, so he centered on telling the kids to focus on their defense pairings and to communicate on the court.   

The game started with an unsteady flow, with no kind of order from any of the teams. Petyr's team got ahead in the game mainly because of Harry. He might not like the kid but he couldn't deny he was a good player. After a coast-to-coast signed by Harry, Olyvar requested a time out. The players returned to their benches to listen to their coaches.   

"Okay, we are winning by 5 points and there's one minute left" Petyr got his marker and basketball board out. "Try to slow down the game tempo, we're in no rush. Make good decisions. Don't lose the ball. If there's no clear pass don't give it, keep it"   

"In defense. We are going to keep playing man-to-man full court except for this one" Sansa's team were going to start playing from half court and he wanted to surprised them. He told them to trap the player who received in a 2-on-1 to try to steal the ball quickly. "Marcus! Let him receive, your job it's to move him towards the sideline. Harry, you will jump to trap him right after he starts dribbling, denying the center" He looked up from his board to look at the other players "Try to steal the pass and remember, it's just this defense. Unless I said otherwise" It was a bold move and pretty illogical. It could either work or fail miserably.    

They nodded and step into the court. He noticed Sansa eyeing him from the corner of her eye and just couldn't help to smirk.  _‘Let’s play’_. 

The ball started moving. Marcus let his mark received but before he started to dribble, Harry jumped to trap the player with the ball. _‘To soon’_ the ambushed player struggled for a second before passing the ball. The ball got to Harry’s defensive pair who was clear for an open three-point-shot. The ball flew across the floor and landed inside the hoop. Petyr cursed under his breath. Olyvar reacted quickly and shouted some directions while Sansa was telling them to hustle on defense.  

Marcus drove with the ball across the half-court line. He kept dribbling, avoiding his defender’s stealing attempts, letting the clock wear down. When the shot clock signaled "ten seconds" Marcus hastened his pace, getting rid of his mark. Harry saw this and surprised his defender with a back door cut. Reading Harry's movement, the point guard passed him the ball with a flick of his wrist. Harry scored easily making up for his previous mistake. Petyr's bench burst in cheers acclaiming their teammates actions.  

Sansa's players had barely five seconds before the game came to an end. Petyr's defense pressured them until the last second, letting the time run out. The scoreboard horn sounded signaling the end of the game.  

Both teams congregated around Petyr. He praised their hard work during the week and told them that the final team selection would be announced next Wednesday. The players returned to the locker room leaving the coaches to close the gym.  

Sansa approached him offering her hand. "Well played. Don't be so full of yourself, we'll beat you next time" he took her hand and leant to kiss the back of her palm, like the first time they met. "You will try, you mean"  

"I don't need to try. I know I will"

“With that smile, you’re just going to get a kiss” He could play this game if she wanted.

Her face turned to red for a second. Regaining her posture she retorted cheekily “Only a kiss?”

 _‘Anything you want’_. He wanted to say. He would have meant it. He promised himself he would never fell for someone the way he did when he was a teenager. It was better that way. Unfortunately, Sansa had diminished all of his defenses single-handedly, not caring if he was ready or not. _‘Am I ready?’_

“And dinner” He tugged her hand and led her towards the door.

“Shall we go?”

 _____________________________

 

Petyr’s home wasn’t far from KLU and it only took a few minutes to get there. It was pretty big for someone living alone. He couldn’t be married right? She hasn’t seen him wearing any rings and he hadn’t mentioned anyone.

Margeary had messaged her, asking if she wanted to go out with her and some of her college friends. _‘I can’t, I’m busy tonight’_. She didn’t text back. She knew that Margaery was mad because she wasn’t hanging out with her like last year but it wasn’t fair. She had her own life too. Every person in her life have always tried to tell her how to act, where to go, what to wear, what to say, what to do. She wouldn’t take it anymore.

Petyr drove into his garage and turned off the engine. They had been silent during the journey, sneaking glances when the other wasn’t looking. He opened the door for her and led her inside with a hand on her back. His touch burned, sending shivers down her spine. At first glance, his house did not give any indication that someone was living in it. She knew that he was a little obsessed with keeping his things in order by the time they had spent together, but this level of neatness was out of the ordinary.

He took her on a small tour showing her through the several rooms, the living room, the bathrooms, the kitchen, the bedrooms (including his own) and his office. Unlike the other rooms, his office had actual signs of life. The desk chair was slightly crooked and there were several disordered papers next to his laptop. She didn’t know how to describe it but the room smelt like _him_ , to his cologne, his mint shampoo, his musk.

Petyr approached to his desk and reached for the tousled papers aligning them together. “I do not usually sleep much and when I'm awake, I’m normally working here” Sansa stepped towards him and took his hand on hers.

“If I didn’t know you, I would have sworn that a vampire lives here”

“Do you really know me enough to be sure?” She looked at their joined hands avoiding his gaze. He had a point, she didn’t know him that well.

“No, but I want to try” As soon as the words came out of her mouth she knew they were true. She didn’t feel any kind of obligation to be with Petyr as she did with Joffrey. It was her own decision. She had never been in a serious relationship before, and much less with someone older than her. How old was he anyway? For some strange reason she was afraid to ask. He couldn’t be older than her parents. Honestly did age really mattered? Age had nothing to do with the way her mind went numb everytime he looked at her. It had nothing to do with the way her chest tightened or her pulse quickened whenever he was near. It had nothing to do with the way he came up with something to surprise her every time they were together. A stolen glance, a caress, a kiss...

Petyr leaned until his nose was mere inches from hers. “Are you hungry?” Those mockin green eyes were going to drive her crazy. Taking his hint, she smirked and closed the distance capturing his lips in a kiss. Yes, she was hungry. Hungry for him.

It started slow, each mouth finding their own rhytm, playing with each other. He leaned on the edge of his desk, lifting her lightly so she could sit on his lap. Taking advantage of her position, she laced her fingers on his hair toussleling it, deepening their kiss. His hands roamed her body begging to touch her skin. She help him undress her and together they got rid of her t-shirt and bra, leaving her naked from the waist up.

His lips stopped devouring hers and left to trail the length of her neck, with hot kisses. He bent his head down and wrapped his mouth around her nipple, circling it slowly with his tongue. Sansa threw her head back and enjoyed the sensations flooding through her body. She was totally at his mercy. Petyr groaned against her skin, sending an aching shiver down to her core. His elegant fingers slithered down her stomach towards the warmness below her navel. She gasped when he cupped her bare sex and started to tease her center.

“Petyr!” He entered her folds slowly, making her moan. He lifted his head to look at her without stopping his fingers’ ministrations.

“Yes, sweetling?” His eyes had darkened with lust, making him look wilder, dangerous. She wanted him so much. Her lips came back to his in a needy kiss. Her hips started rocking against his fingers following their rhytm, looking for the friction that would realease her of this madness. With a couple of movements, he managed to take her to her ecstasy, making her cry his name.

Sansa collapsed against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Slowly, she managed to recover her breath while Petyr kept showering her on kisses. She giggled when his face stopped in front of her to nip playfully at her nose. He looked so cute right now, so carefree. He pressed her sides,taking advantage of her current situation, making her squeal in surprise at his sudden attack.

“Stop!” He chuckled and kissed her again.

“Never” Sansa couldn’t believe how handsome he looked right now, staring at her with his bright eyes and tousled hair. His short beard and moustache only made him more irresistible.

Without warning, her stomach roared indicating there were other priorities to be met. “It looks like you’re hungry” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and lowered his hand to stroke her cheek.

“Yes, a little bit” It was a pretty stupid situation after what they have just done. He kissed her on the lips one last time and lifted her so they both could stand up. “I’ll go to make dinner”

Sansa was putting her t-shirt on, forgoing her bra, when she noticed that Petyr hadn’t finished.

“Wait! What about your…?” He followed her gaze towards the bulge in his pants.

“I think we can take care of it after dinner” He grinned mischievously and left giving her a wink.

Sansa sighed. Her head was spinning wildly making her remember everything that had happened since she had arrived at Petyr’s house. It had felt so good when he had made her reached her peak. Unlike her, he certainly knew what he was doing.

She was walking towards the door when a photo on his bookshelf caught her eye. The picture showed a group of kids wearing a basketball jersey. She recognized Petyr instantly, holding a basketball between his arms in the front row. His temples were darker and he was wearing the same boyish smile he had given her mere moments ago. ‘ _It’s definitely him’_

A smile appeared on her face looking at Petyr when he was younger. He must have been in high school when this picture was taken, although he looks much younger than the rest of his teammates. Looking closely at the picture, she managed to descipher what was written on the players jerseys. “ _Riverrun High School_ ”

She headed towards the kitchen taking the picture with her. She could smell Petyr’s delicious cooking from the corridor. She stood in the arch of the door contemplating how he moved around the kitchen preparing their dinner. His movements were methodically calculated to the smallest detail, optimizing as much as he could the space he had available to work.

He was humming to the song playing on the radio, swaying slightly to the music as he prepared the ingredients. She had never seen him like this before, so carefree and relaxed. _“He’s happy. You made him happy”_ She didn’t want to ask him her next question but, she needed to know.

“Did you grow up in Riverrun?” Petyr turned confused and understood her question when he saw the picture on her hand.

“Yes, in a way I grew up there” He went back to keep stirring the the fry pan, not paying attention to her.

“My mother grew up in Riverrrun too, I don’t think you…”

“Yes, I knew her”

Sansa stood silent processing the new information. ‘ _How did he know her? She hadn’t talked about him before. ’_ Petyr lowered the heat and moved away from the pan.

“When I was little my mother passed away and my father couldn’t take care of me, so your family took me in. I grew up with your aunt, your uncle and your mother until I was a teenager.”

“How come you have not told me any of this before?”

“Because I did not finish my relationship with your family on good terms”

Did he know? Did he know the first time they met that she was Cat’s daughter? _‘Yes, he did’. ‘Why didn’t he told me the truth before?”_ It would have been awkward certainly, maybe they wouldn’t even be in this situation and she would be with Margeary hanging out with people she didn’t care about. _‘Did she cared about Petyr?_ Yes, after this twisted revelation and against her better judgement she still cared about him, enough to let him explain himself.

Ignoring her, he walked slowly towards the living room. She followed him and sat down on the couch without breaking her gaze from him. He paced around the room thoughtfully, measuring his next words.

“I need to know Petyr, I need you to be honest with me” The last words came more as a whisper but he caught them. She hated herself for being so vulnerable with him, but she couldn’t help it. He had been the only person she had trusted after everything that happened with Joffrey. Her friends, Margeary not even her family had taken her seriously. She couldn’t endure more lies or pretend that everything was fine.

Petyr sat down gently next to her, as if he were afraid he would scare her and make her flee at any moment. “Do you really want to know now? I must warn you that it doesn’t end well”

 _‘It rarely does. Life is not a song’_ She nodded. Hesitantly she reached for his hand and squeezed it lightly, encouraging him. He interlaced their fingers together and sighed, ordering his thoughts.

“Okay, when I arrived at Riverrun I was only six years old. Your mother was five years older than me and despite our age difference, we became friends. A friendship that I later confused as love. She only saw me as a little brother and never returned my affections” Sansa’s breath hitched for a second.

“Oh” So that was the problem. Petyr lifted her chin and looked at her for the first time since the conversation started. His eyes were pleading her to let him continue.

“Her infatuation made me join the high school basketball team. Edmure was a cool kid so I figured I'd be too if I played in the team like him. I was wrong. I never fitted in your family, your uncle showed his despise towards me calling me names, your mother ignored me and Lysa... well, you could say that she had the same obssesion over me that I had with your mother. It wasn’t a healthy realtionship” His face had turned sour recalling those memories. She wanted to hug him so much, but refrained herself from doing so. She knew how it felt to be turned away, her own siblings had always treated her differently but they’ve been always there for her, in a way. Petyr had been alone all his life.

“Despite your uncle's wishes, I joined the team and helped it to enter the play-offs. I started to make a name for myself, I even became one of the team's regular players. Basketball was the only way I had to… escape”

“We played against Winterfell High in the play-offs. We managed to beat them in the second game against all odds. There was a party afterwards. The Winterfell players were invited to it too. I saw how your father flirted with Cat and I couldn’t stand it, so I walked towards them. I don’t remember what happened, I was very drunk at the time. I must have said something because, the next thing I recall was seeing how your uncle Brandon lunged forwards and shoved me to the floor. There was a fight, and I ended up in the hospital with my chest cracked open from navel to collarbone” Sansa wiped a tear with the back of her hand and squeezed his hand. He bent his head to kiss her on the crown of her head.

“I stayed two weeks at the hospital recovering from my wounds. When I returned to your grandparents' house, I could barely move out of bed due to the painkillers prescribed by the doctors. One day I woke up and saw that Lysa was in my bed, lying next to me. She told me that I had taken her virginity” Petyr closed his eyes and clutched her hand harder than before. She couldn’t believe what he was implying.

“You mean that Lysa…”

“I don’t remember what happened, I was drugged, unconscious and couldn’t move. Hoster found out and kicked me out of his house. I wasn’t in the best condition to put up a fight so I gathered my things and left. At the age of fourteen I was homeless and friendless. I didn't have many options so I went back to my parents' house in the Fingers”

Sansa was left speechless. She now understood why Petyr had been so reluctant in telling her this. He had done it in the end, he had told her the truth. There were no words able to describe Sansa’s own anger with her family. _‘Does my mother know? What Lysa did?’_ She had never talked to much with her aunt because she knew that she wasn’t the most mentally stable person. She hugged him from the side and rested her head on the crook of his shoulder.

“I’m sorry” Petyr woke up from his trance and held her close.

“Don’t be sweetling, it’s not your fault” She knew that he was right but couldn’t help to feel the way she did. She gulped and strenghthen the hold of her hug. “I can’t believe that Lysa got away with it after what she’d done to you. Does my mother know?”

“I don’t know”

“It’s just that they left you alone to your luck and… and you were just a boy” She was sobbing now. Petyr started rocking her lightly.

“Sssssh I’m here. That’s the only thing that matters, I’m here… with you” They stayed together on the couch for some minutes, taking comfort on each other. Petyr laid random kisses on her forehead, calming her. Something told her that he wasn't just doing it for her.

“Do you still love her?” She hated herself for even asking , for being so selfish. He craddle her cheek so she could stare to his mossy eyes. He shook his head “No”. His eyes were glowing with the room’s low light.

“I don’t even know if love was the right term for it. It was a stupid obsession from a naïve little boy”

Sansa closed her eyes. He wanted to believe him. Every fiber in her body told her that he was being honest and that she had no reason to feel jelous of her mother.

“I’d understand if you want to leave after, well… everything that I’ve told you. You don’t owe me anything. “I really care for you Sansa, I need you to know that. You’re your own person and I wouldn’t wanted anyother way” He was rambling. Determined to resolve her doubts, she crashed her lips on his, swallowing his words.

She would give him a chance. How could she not? He had emptied his soul showing her the kind of man he was. If he could make her feel safe and cherished after Joffrey and everything he had gone through, they certainly had a chance together.

Sansa ended the kiss and stood up offering him her hand.

“Let’s go eat, I’m starving. I hope you bought lemoncakes” He accepted her hand shaking his head. “You’re incorrigible”

Sansa grinned and lead him to the kitchen.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 8!  
> This chapter was sooo hard to write! I really hope you like it and I apologise in advanced for any gramatical mistakes that I might have done.  
> I really like this chapter because you get to know Petyr's story and Sansa is able to understand a little more of his personality. 
> 
> Hope you like it!
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	9. Dessert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa and Petyr have dinner ;) This is all Sansa's POV

He hadn’t bought lemon cakes. He had baked them himself. Dinner elapsed swiftly and before they knew it, he was taking out two dainty lemon cakes from the kitchen, adorned with a raspberry on top.

"Knowing how successful the ravioli have been, I don’t think you're interested in this" He placed the delicate dessert in front of her and enjoyed her astounded stare while he dig in his own piece of cake.  The first bite tasted like heaven. She closed her eyes, savoring the tart and sweet flavor. She practically devoured the dessert, not caring about if Petyr would find her demeanor unladylike. He didn’t say anything and kept eating his dessert with his ever-present smirk.

“How can you cook so well? The last time I tried to fry an egg I almost set my kitchen on fire” Petyr chuckled. It was true; she even had to call the fire department, which Margaery did not mind at all. 

“I supposed that means you liked it”  

Sansa swallowed the last piece of cake. “Are you kidding? I loved it. Thank you” 

“I should be the one thanking you” Petyr raised himself from the table and started to pick up their empty plates, putting them on the sink.  

“Why?” she moved from the table to help him with his task. It was the least she could do after the little feast Petyr had prepared for her. She found him putting the silverware and the plates away in the dishwasher. The small kitchen radio accompanied their actions as they quickly managed to return the kitchen to its normal appearance. Petyr stood silent during the whole process, avoiding her gaze, looking a bit shy for someone like him. 

He finally cleared his voice; grasping all the courage he could manage “Thanks for listening. It’s the first time that I tell someone what happened to me. I know it must have been hard for you”

Even after everything he had told her, he was still worried about her. She knew he was right. It was hard to comprehend how the people she had called ‘family’ all her life were capable of doing the things they did to someone like him.  Sansa put the last plate away and closed the dishwasher, turning towards Petyr.  

He walked up to her and pulled her to his arms. “Thank you sweetling, for helping me with the team, for letting me help you with your knee, for this dinner… for everything” She breathed him in. He sounded like the terrified boy from the Fingers’ he had been all those years ago and that scared her.

“Hey, you don’t have to thank me” She stroked his hair with care, feeling how it curled at its ends. Petyr leaned into her touch and closed his eyes. “I’ll always be here if you need anything”  

“Oh Sansa, I don’t deserve you” He cradled her cheek and run his thumb across her cheekbone. His gaze was boring into her with desire, completely bewitched.   

“That’s not true. Don’t ever say that” It was difficult to know that her family won’t accept her relationship with Petyr, but that wasn’t going to stop her. It didn’t have to stop him either. Not after the little flame he had managed to ignite inside her heart.  

She shook her head “If you’re implying that I should regret this, stop!” she was starting to get tired of his self-pity. “ Petyr, I like you the way you are and if my family can’t see it, who cares? I certainly don’t” She blinked a couple of times trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. _‘Couldn’t he see what he had done to her?_ ’  

His eyes glowed ghostly, completely entranced. She felt how his grip on her waist tightened, drawing her to him. His free hand tucked a wild strand of hair behind her ear, grazing it slowly, admiring its softness. She could feel her breath mingling with his. _'Just a little more'_

"Petyr?" Apparently his body couldn't bare the tension either because as soon as she said his name, he was all over her. He placed his hands on the side of her face and kissed her passionately. Sansa didn't stand behind and returned his actions with the same fervor.  

She leaned into him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. Her figure molded into his lean form, crushing her breast into his chest, making her nipples to hardened. She moaned into his mouth and felt how his hands wandered to her hips. His nails dig into the fabric of her leggings, making her gasp. Their mouths battled each other without rest, finding their own rhythm and before she knew it, they were moving.  

Petyr was directing her blindly towards de living room. She was too giddy to object and let him lead her, without breaking their kiss. She tried to walk backwards without harming her knee. It was getting better but it still bothered her. As if he were reading her mind, he pulled her closer, making her lean all her weight into him. He grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her from the floor with a sudden move. Sansa giggled into his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist.  

"My lady" She remembered the last time he lifted her in his arms after she injured her knee. She had been so scared, and even then he had tried his best to help her. He bent his head and started to press kisses along her long neck. Sansa moaned and arched her body when he found her pulse point, making him groan into her skin. She couldn’t take it anymore and tugged his hair, linking their lips again.

Petyr managed to enter his room despite their heated activities. He laid her over his bed, cradling her head with his forearm as if it were a pillow. He never stopped kissing her. Not even after his hands traveled to her hips, helping her to get rid of her t-shirt, again. Not even after she lifted herself up to do the same to him, leaving them both bare from the waist up. Not even then.

Her eyes flicked towards the scar that divided his chest and froze for a moment. Tears started to well up in her eyes remembering the story behind his dreadful mark. Petyr broke their kiss and cradled her cheek, making her look at his eyes. “I’m here” he pecked her lips sweetly. “Don’t leave me”. How could she? She was completely lost to him.

She grazed his cheek, feeling his light stubble. She turned her head and kissed the inside of his palm. “Never”. Their lips joined again. Petyr brought Sansa to the center of his bed. His lips traveled from her mouth to her jaw, her ear, her neck and her collarbone, painting a path through her scorching skin. Her breath hitched when his hand started kneading one of her breast, teasing her. His mouth moved downwards, peppering her skin with kisses until he found her other breast.

Sansa couldn’t take it anymore; if he kept doing this she was going to go crazy. Her hands went to his silky hair tousling it up and started to direct him lower, towards her aching wetness. Petyr took her hint and chuckled into her stomach, kissing it while he acquiesced her wishes. She helped him to pull down her leggings, leaving her with only her knickers on. Petyr stopped and sat back on his knees, contemplating her. “You’re beautiful” She saw how his muscles flexed into a predatory stance, moving like a feline over her.

He joined their lips again, taking her breath away. His deft fingers found her center and started to move, grazing her clit in small circles. Sansa moaned into his mouth, letting him flood all of her senses. He caught one of her hardened nipples in his mouth again, flicking his tongue around it as he looked at her with desire.

“Sansa, look at me” His lustful eyes were gazing at her reverently. She drowned in his emotion, feeling how her own desire started to build up below her navel. She was close. She could feel it. She moaned loudly when he introduced two of his fingers inside of her, churning them, making her quiver beneath him.

“Come for me sweetling” his purring sent her over the edge. He covered her flushed body with searing kisses, awarding her with praises. Before she could recover from her high, she opened her eyes and observed how Petyr’s black mop of hair descended slowly. He grabbed her hips and placed himself between her legs, divesting her of her last piece of garment, leaving her bare. Before she could ask him what he was doing, he started to lick her pearl with his tongue. Sansa’s hands reached down and weaved her fingers through his dark hair.

“Petyr…” She arched her hips against him, making him hold her hips tighter. Sansa couldn’t control the moans and mewls that escaped from her mouth. Petyr groaned against her center, sending sweet shivers through her body. She felt how he inserted one of his fingers, driving her mad while he kept suckling at her pearl. She gasped when he added a second and then a third, pumping them, in and out, picking up speed. She quickly felt that familiar tightening in her stomach, making her crumble when the waves from her climax hit her.

Petyr crawled up and latched her lips in a hungry kiss. Sansa tasted herself upon his lips, mixing with his usual mint. She noticed the erection in his pants and reached down to touch him. Petyr gasped and broke their kiss. She slid her hand through his waist cupping him. Petyr gazed at her with lustful eyes, warning her.

“Are you sure sweetling?” She nodded and continued moving her inexperienced hand over his member. Petyr trembled above her. Suddenly, he captured her hand making her stop. Uncertainty flooded through her mind until she felt Petyr’s on hers.

“You’ll ruin all the fun if you keep doing that” Sansa blushed after realizing what he meant. Petyr chuckled and pressed a light kiss on her forehead. He moved from her and stretched his body towards his nightstand, opening its drawer.

“You don’t need to get a condom, I’m on the pill” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. Petyr turned his face and returned her kiss fervidly. He made her lie back again, trailing her neck with kisses, stopping at her pulse point. Sansa giggled when she felt her stubble grazed her skin. Petyr didn’t cease his attack and she was sure that he was going to leave her with more than one mark on her body. She pulled herself up, grabbing the waistband of his pants and began to tug them down. Petyr got her meaning and helped her undress him, leaving them both completely bare.

She opened her legs and pulled him closer against her chest. Petyr chuckled and wrapped his arms around her head, cradling her neck. He started grinding against her in a teasing manner without entering her, sucking and nipping lightly at one of her breast. Sansa groaned in agony and pulled her head back.

“Petyr please…” Deftly, he positioned himself at her entrance, ready to join with her in the most intimate ways. He kissed her again, his cock entering her slick folds slowly, making them both moan at the sensation. She kissed him passionately as he started rocking against her again.

“You feel so good sweetling, so tight” He punctuated that last sentence plunging into her, making her cry out in pleasure. He groaned against her mouth when her body started to move against him, seeking more friction, building a steady rhythm together. He felt so good inside of her. He drove into her, over and over again, quickening his pace and the strength of his thrusts. Sansa could feel how her body was about to burst at any moment. She sought his eyes, linking his cloudy green with her azure orbs.

“Petyr!” Her walls convulsed and clenched around him. She cried his name and felt how he followed her into their climax. He pumped a couple of times, guiding her through her aftershocks until he tightened, spilling himself inside of her with a loud groan. He fell down next to her, crashing his mouth into hers. They reluctantly separated, both panting and heaving due to the exertion.

Sansa crawled into his waiting arms, nuzzling her nose in his cheek. Petyr wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She felt the rise and fall of his chest moving in sync with her own, their hearts beating as one.

She’d never felt this way before. Everything that had to do with him confused her. Her previous relationships couldn’t compare to this inherently connection she had with Petyr. She looked up at him and smile when she felt his hand stroking her hair. She giggled and went up to kiss his sweaty brow, his nose and finally his lips. He melted immediately into her kiss and hummed content against her lips. She nipped his bottom lip playfully, making him chuckle.

“Thanks for the dessert, I loved it” Sansa rolled her eyes and moved to rest her head on his chest, playing softly with his chest hair.

“You’re welcome” She whispered. Soon, she felt the lids of her eyes growing heavy. She yielded to the comfort of his embrace and shut her eyes, feeling completely at ease after a long long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 9! 
> 
> It's the first time that I write a chapter like this and I don't know if the smut got a little bit out of hand but I'm happy with the result. Sansa and Petyr certainly liked it ;)
> 
> Thanks for all the feedback and kudos, you're awesome!
> 
> (I apologise in advanced for any gramatical mistake that I might have made, you've been warned)


	10. Sansa on my mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questions & answers  
> It's all from Petyr's POV

He entered the room cautiously, opening a crack on the door wide enough to get through without disturbing the stunning goddess resting on his bed. His eyes must've been playing games with him because he still couldn't believe them.   

Everything had happened so fast. His heart had sunk the moment she asked him about his childhood in Riverrun. Mustering all the courage he was capable of, he concluded that the best thing he could do was to come clean. Losing her was the last thing he wanted and he knew that lying was the fastest way to get what he dreaded most. At least, they would still manage to keep in touch, as friends or acquaintances in the worst-case scenario.   

Being honest, what the hell was a young girl like her doing with someone like him? She should be out with his friends, partying, getting drunk, meeting boys... Petyr shook his head. His blood boiled just thinking about it.    

Losing her would have certainly hurt more than Cat's rejection, because she wasn't just an obsession. _'She's so much more'_ it was still too soon but he couldn't ignore the intrinsic bond that seemed to link them together, ingrained within his heart's deepest cracks.     

He sat down on the chair closest to his bed, his body oriented towards her. The faint light of the moon touched her ivory skin, tracing her delicate body the same way his lips had done mere hours ago. Her hair's fire was sprawled all over his pillow, swirling across the silky fabric like a wild storm. _‘She’s wonderful’_    

Despite his concerns she hadn't turned him away. Nobody had ever listened to his side of the story before. They all had taken his words immediately for lies, without giving him a second thought. She had not only paid attention. She had supported and encouraged him during the most difficult parts of his tale, sharing part of his pain as if it was her own.    

 _'Gods, she had even cried!' If_ it had been another person he would have felt insulted. He had been fighting against his humble beginnings during all his life to avoid this type of situations. Despite his efforts, this ethereal creature had managed to stumble into his world, showing him the compassion and trust he had lacked since he was a little orphan in Riverrun.    

Would it really be so bad to let her into his life? He still did not feel fully prepared to give up his heart. 'No, stop thinking like that!' It was not fair that he would not trust his own emotions when she had gone through something similar. He had heard that she had been dating Joffrey Baratheon for a couple of months and that they hadn’t finished on good terms. She had already overcome her fairytale phase, why could not he do the same?   

“Do you ever sleep?” Sansa was contemplating him with sleepy eyes. Petyr left his phone on his nightstand, lifting the duvet to get into bed with her. Sansa moved to make room for him, placing her arm around his waist, burrowing into his frame as soon as he laid down.   

“I told you that I normally don't sleep much” He dip his head to place a kiss on her temple, his hand tracing random paths along her back.     

"You're fine, right? Do you have any sleep disorder? Have you been to the doctor?" Petyr chuckled. How could she looked so tired and be able to ask so many questions? His hand's attention shifted to her silky ripples spread all over his chest.   

"I've actually been, but don't worry I'm fine. I'm just one of those people who need very little sleep to function" Sansa raised her head, lifting the corner of her mouth into a little smirk.   

"So I was right then" Her eyes had a mocking glow.    

He furrowed his eyebrows "What?"    

"You're a vampire" Petyr gave a hearty laugh and threw her hair behind her back leaving her neck exposed.     

"Are you afraid?" He moved down and started to nip playfully down her neck.    

Sansa giggled shaking her head. “No” Petyr trailed her skin with kisses, taking special care on her pulse point. Sansa tugged his hair gently, forcing him to meet her sweet lips. They stayed there, kissing and tangling with each other for a while. Sansa's warmth was slowly luring him to sleep until he felt her shift lightly.    

"Petyr?"   

He opened his eyes  "Yes sweetling"    

"There's a thing you've told me earlier that I didn’t understand" Her voice was a low whisper in the dark room. Petyr nodded into her hair to acknowledge she had his full attention.   

"You said that my mum was five years older than you, right?”  

“Yes”  

“How come you went to high school with her? Weren't you too young?" Petyr chuckled _'Perceptive and beautiful, I could bury my head between her legs just for that comment’_   

“I skipped two grades when I was in primary school. I got bored easily in class so I wasn’t surprised when one of my teachers told me. Your grandfather didn’t care about what I did and he didn’t object to it”   

At first he had been delighted to move form his class, since he didn’t have many friends. Although he quickly realized nothing had changed after the first week. His classmates continued to ignore and despise him, even more than before, for being the youngest.   

“Although everything was the same, I kept getting bored in class” Sansa shook her head lightly and pecked him on his stubbled cheek.   

“You’ve always been such a smartass”    

Petyr gave her a cheeky smile "It's part of my charm"  

"Did they really let you into the basketball team being two years younger?" he pulled her close and breathed her in before answering.  

“The only thing that mattered was your ability and how you played, age was complementary. It took me a couple of years but I finally got in. It wasn't as easy as it sounds"   

Sansa stood silent for a moment biting her lower lip. _‘How can she look so adorable?’_ If he wasn’t hard before, he certainly was now. He moved capturing her mouth, making her melt into his kiss. Sansa returned his actions and hummed inmediately against him, igniting his desire even more. He continued, trailing her neck with kisses, lavishing the marks he had previously made on her with utmost care. 

"Petyr?" He couldn't stop. He had spent too much time without feeling her. He returned to her mouth, pressing all his body against hers. Sansa moaned parting her lips, giving him better access to deepen the kiss. He barely felt her hand going down until she palmed his erection making him hiss.   

"Has anyone told you how wonderful you are?" She took advantage of his distraction catching his wrist and flipping him over to straddled him.  

"Well, I know I'm bigger than the average but I'm glad you mentioned it" He got rid of her grip with a swift movement, placing his hands over her thighs and started to rubbed them slowly up and down. Sansa tsked taking a  hold of his wrist again, moving them over his head immobilizing him. He could barely believe his eyes. He was imprisoned beneath this celestial being who couldn’t seem to stop looking at him with burning desire. He cursed under his breath for being unable to extend his hands to touch her, to make sure she was not a dream.   

She started to move her hips in a teasing manner, enjoying her privilege view with a gleam in her eyes. Petyr groaned. He could feel her arousal coating his member through her folds, calling for him. Drawing him to claim what was rightfully his after this night.   

"I'm serious Petyr" She leant to kiss him, sinking slowly upon his cock. Sansa moaned at the sensation, her noise making him even harder than what he already was. She lazily started to move, her hips rising and falling, timidly setting a rhythm. She close her eyes, focusing on her pleasure. The feeling of her cunt around him mixed with the warmth of her body was quickly driving him to madness. Finally, he managed to free his hands from her hold, pulling himself up to catch her mouth in a passionate kiss. Sansa didn’t complain when his hands roamed up her thighs and settled on her hips, guiding her movements. Her hardened nipples were piercing his chest while she rode him to madness.  

Sansa was gasping above him, weaving her arms through his hair while she grazed his neck with hot kisses. He moaned and squeezed both of her cheeks before he resumed their heated rocking. She stopped at his pulse point to suck and nip at it, certainly getting her own revenge after his previous attacks.  

Petyr groaned thrusting harder into her, making Sansa mewl against his skin. He took advantage of her little distraction catching her mouth in a powerful kiss. His tongue grazing hers in a frantic dance. One of his hands travelled to her milky white breast, cupping and caressing it while he tweaked her sensitive nipple.  

Sansa let her head fall backwards as his mouth trailed through her jaw, her neck, her collarbone until it settled on her other breast. She gripped his shoulders and hastened her pace, bucking her hips upon him. Petyr moaned, ceasing all his ministrations to look at her. Her eyes were lidded with her mouth slightly parted, panting the most arousing sounds he had ever heard. She was close, he could feel it. ' _Seven hells!'_ he wasn't far behind.  He moved his hand down towards her center, moving his fingers quickly over her clit.  

"Oh, Petyr!" He flexed his knees increasing the strength and the depth of his thrusts, feeling how her walls fluttered around him, tumbling down. 

"Sansa!" Her walls gripped him, making him tense in ecstasy as he burst his release. Sansa's body fell over him, capturing his lips in a frenetic kiss. She hugged him close, resting her head on the crook of his shoulder _._ Petyr laid down next to her,completely worn out. _'Yeah, I could definitely get use to this'_. 

He noticed how Sansa was tracing his scar, totally hypnotized _. 'What I wouldn't give to have a glimpse of what goes on through her mind"_  

"What's the matter sweetling?" In some ways Sansa was still a puzzle for him. They were so different and at the same time so similar in some aspects that he could almost hear fate laughing at them. _‘No, this was right. Maybe our timing is wrong but we aren’t, are we?_ ’

"I'm exhausted" No, they weren’t. Being with her felt good, natural.   

Petyr chuckled “I’d be surprised if you weren’t”

She closed her azure orbs and hummed in completely satisfaction after their heated activities, snuggling closer to him. Her unique fragance flooded his senses and he was conviced. He would never be the same without her, she was part of his soul whether he liked it or not. Petyr gulped, realizing the implications to which he had concluded.

“Would you be here when I wake up?” Her tired voice announced her impending drift towards sleep. Petyr bent down to press a loving kiss on her forehead, his hand caressing her back. He would never leave her, he was sure of it. Not as long as she needed him. Perhaps not even then.

“I will my love. Always” Silence fell into the room. He wasn’t sure if she had heard him but the fact of speaking the truth aloud only made him more terrified. _‘I’m hers and she is mine’_.

Sleep never found him that night.

____________________

 

When Sansa woke up he reluctantly parted from her embrace. Sansa complained but he convinced her to get a quick shower before he prepared them breakfast. He decided to let her have a little privacy but before he could do anything, Sansa dragged him by his arm inside the bathroom. Her giggles quickly turned into moans when he got a hold of her. They showered and messed around together before common sense fell over them like cold water.

He stepped out of his bathroom and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. His house felt alive with her in it. The low humming of the hair dryer could be heard through the sound of frying bacon and the music playing on his radio. An old jazz song started playing when he felt her arms wrapped around him. He started swaying lightly to the music, Sansa moving with him. It had been a long time since he last listened to it but he was sure he could remember the lyrics. It was time to have some fun.

“Sansa” He started singing. She raised her eyebrows shaking her head. He looked at her over his shoulder with a playfull smirk. “Sansa”. She giggled and pressed a kiss on his cheek. He turned off the stove and turned around complety to face her.

“The whole day through” He grabbed her waist inmediately as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His gaze centered on hers. Singing to her and only her.

“Just an old sweet song, keeps Sansa on my mind” Her eyes shined brightly, smile widening. Her hair danced across the sun rays that swept in from the window, reflecting ruby flashes into the room. _‘She’s so gorgeous’_. The song kept playing on the radio but he dismissed it when Sansa closed the distance and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. Petyr forgot the song, their breakfast, how to breath, everything. His only focus was to prolong their kiss until none of them could continue due to lack of oxygen.

“Shut up” Petyr smirked an tickled her sides making sure she wouldn’t break his hold on her easily. Sansa squealed and moved her hands to stop him.

Petyr chuckled. “I don’t think my singing was that bad sweetling” Sansa kept giggling and squealing because of his attack, unable to say anything. “Stop!” Petyr paused his actions and hugged her. Sansa kissed his cheek and moved out of his embrace.

They finished breakfast and Sansa went up to his room to pick up her things. He waited for her in the living room sitting on the same couch where he had told her about his childhood the night before. He wanted her to stay with him. They still had the whole Sunday, she didn’t have to go yet. She could study here if she’d like, he had plenty of room.

“I’m all set” She was at the base of his stairs holding her bag under her arm. Petyr stood up and moved next to her, looking at the floor as he aproximated to the stairs.

“You can stay you know” He looked up. She shook her head but her eyes betrayed her.

“I’d really love to stay” She raised her hand and started tracing the collar of his polo shirt. “But I think it’s too soon. Margaery must be worried about me even if she hadn’t messaged me since yesterday”

 _‘Too soon’_ Petyr smirked. Yes, she was right. Things were already complicated enough to start rushing them. ‘ _Someday_ ’. He led her to his garage and together they hopped on his car. It was another sunny day in King’s Landing, despite being October. Petyr placed his hand on Sansa’s thigh, wanting to feel her. She interlaced their fingers together giving him a light squeezed.

“I’m going to miss you” He had parked in front of her apartment. The streets were completely empty. It was still too early for students to be out on the streets on a Sunday morning. They were standing in front of his car, his forehead touching hers, remembering the sensation of her skin before their impending departure.

Sansa cupped lovingly his cheek, one of her fingers tracing his cheekbone. Mossy green linked to icy blue. He moved his free hand to her waist and pulled her closer. He knew he was going to see her tomorrow at the basketball practice, but that meant he’d have to wait more than twenty four hours to have her again on his arms. More than twenty four hours to kiss her again. More than twenty four hours to see her again…

 _‘Stop being so irrational’_ Sansa raised her head up and pressed her lips on his in a passionate kiss. That’s it, Sansa was going to go up to get her things and they were going to return to his house. He was going to make sure of it.

“Sansa!” she broke their kiss alarmed. Petyr strengthen his hold on her waist, reluctant to let her go but it was too late. They both looked at the newcomer, a brunette yelling at them with wide eyes from Sansa’s apartment. She looked completely dishelved, with her toussled hair and undone make up. Sansa snorted, rolling her eyes.

“Fuck”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 10!
> 
> I've been dying to write this chapter since Petyr asked Sansa for a date. I've had the breakfast scene "on my mind" (hahaha badum tss) for a long time. For anyone who didn't know the song Petyr was singing it was 'Georgia on my mind' (the Ray Charles version not the original by Hoagy Carmichael)  
> Hopefully I'll get to speed up the story a little bit, there are a lot of things that I've planned for this two. Thank you for everyone who keeps reading this story, you're awesome :)
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	11. Defensive stance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa receives an unexpected visitor

"Fuck"    

"What's wrong?" Petyr gave her a perplexed look.    

"Hurry, you have to go" she opened the door of his car and tugged his sleeve, rushing him to get in. He got rid of her hold with a flick of his wrist and placed both of his hands on top of her shoulders. She appreciated his attempt in calming her even if it was in vain. _'If only they could go back to this morning'._ Sansa closed her eyes remembering their night together.    

"What? Why?"    

Sansa groaned covering her eyes with her hands. _'Of all the days she could have chosen from, she had to pick today'_ She had almost forgotten how happy and relaxed she was before. _‘That’s it, I’m just going crazy’_. 

"Because that girl yelling from my window is my sister and I have no idea of how I'm going to... explain you to her" Petyr's eyes dimmed for a fraction of a second, processing her words. Sansa felt even worse when he lifted his hands from her shoulders and averted his gaze.    

"Then don't" Sansa blinked a couple of times. She didn't know which thing surprised her the most, his answer or the fact that he hadn't left.  

"Don't do it if you're not ready" Petyr entered his car at the same time she heard her apartment’s door close with a strong slam.   

Petyr jolted and gave her an incredulous look. "Wow! How can you two be sisters?"  

Sansa rolled her eyes. _'I've been asking me the same question all my life'._ At least Petyr seemed to be in a better mood after seeing what she'll have to deal with.    

"Come on! Close the door and drive!" she pleaded knowing deep down that Petyr had no intention on leaving.  

Petyr raised his hands "Okay, I'll text you". He closed the door and started the car giving her one last look. Oh, how she misses him already.  Petyr hadn’t even turned around the corner when she felt her sister's presence behind her.   

"Sansa!" She turned around just in time to see Arya sprinting towards her, slightly panting for the effort.  

“Who the hell was that?”  

“Just a friend” Sansa tried to put her most innocent face. They were friends, that part was true. _‘More than friends actually’_. She wasn’t going to tell her though. Not yet, even if she had caught them in a very compromised situation. _‘With his tongue inside my mouth to be more precise’_. Arya looked at her skeptically with inquisitive eyes. She was clearly not buying it.  

“Do you kiss all your friends like that?” Sansa rolled her eyes. She hadn’t seen her sister for two months since the semester started but this was definitely her. Her icy eyes, her feline-like build, yes. There was no mistake, all of that combined with her messy brown hair screamed ‘Arya’.  

“Nice to see you too Arya” She had never had the best of friendships with her sister. Petyr was right. She closed her eyes taking a deep breath _‘ smartass’_ they were as similar as a flower was to a chainsaw.  

“I asked you a question”. She demanded.  

“And you’re not supposed to be here, what are you doing in King’s Landing?” She should be at Winterfell, at the other side of the country.  

“Margaery told me that you'd been out with some people from the basketball team you coach” Gods, had Arya entered the apartment with Margaery in it? Sansa tried to hide a little smirk. Margaery had had a rough night judging by her recent social media stories. She couldn’t contain her amusement picturing Arya loudly breaking into their house, barging into a half passed out hang-overed Margaery. 

“So?” 

“I didn’t picture them driving expensive cars” Arya could see there was something going on with her older sister, but she wasn't able to put her finger on it, yet. The only problem was that Sansa preferred to go back with Joffrey than giving in to her sister’s interrogation.  

“Please, stop with the teasing Arya, it’s too early. What are you doing here anyway? Weren’t you supposed to be at home?" Sansa paused for a second "At Winterfell?”  

Arya’s smirked widened.  “The high school soccer team qualified for the national championship’s final and we’re playing the game tomorrow” _Soccer_ , how could she had forgotten? It wasn’t a surprise actually. The only trait Arya and her had in common apart from being extremely stubborn was sports. Whereas Sansa was tall and ideally athletic to play basketball, Arya had the perfect build for playing soccer.  

The fact that she was here because of her soccer team (and not because she had escaped from home, which she was completely capable of) meant that her parents must be in King’s Landing too. _‘Yes, the gods must certainly hate me’_  

“What about mum and dad? Aren’t they supposed to be here too?” Wait a second. How could Arya be even here with her? She should be with her team, resting or doing whatever activity the usually did before a game. When Sansa had gone to tournaments the coaches never let them wander around without them knowing.  

“They arrived late yesterday so I’m guessing they’re still sleeping. They’ll want to pay you and Robb a little ‘surprise’ visit, so don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll call you later”  

“Well, I’m guessing that I’d be wasting my time asking you what the hell are you doing in my apartment at eight in the morning instead of being with your team”  

“Yes, you’d be wasting it” Arya smiled mockingly at her. She closed the distance stepping towards her. “I’d cover my neck if I were you, you have some suspicious marks” Sansa froze until her words sunk in.  Se touched her neck grazing the pink lovebites Petyr had gifted her and cursed him under her breath.  

Sansa averted her gaze. “Yeah, I have to be a little more careful from now on” Although she was certainly going to return Petyr the favor as soon as possible. Arya burst into laughter. “ If you blush like that the marks are barely noticeable, good job. I hope you had a good time at least”  

There was no hidden remark within her last words. Sansa blinked a couple of times taking her sister in for the first time since they started talking. She definitely looked different. Not physically though. Maybe it was something about her posture or the way she smiled at her with no trace of malice. There was something wrong. _'My little sister is growing up'._  

Sansa smiled shyly remembering her night with Petyr. It could have been perfectly a dream; their dinner, his praises, their kisses, the way they had fucked and mess around in his bed. _‘My love’_ She was sure she had heard him call her that before falling asleep last night. A little flame fluttered inside her heart spreading through her body. She could still smell the trace of him on her clothes.  

“Yeah. It was good” 

Arya nodded and opened her mouth before she changed the topic of conversation. “This is serious Sans, if he does something to you, like that jerk did last year... or even tries to, tell me! And I’ll be the fist one to break his jaw” Sansa appreciated her little sister’s concern for her even if she knew it wasn’t necessary. Petyr would never do something like that, for the mere fact that no one on the face of this planet could compare with Joffrey’s stupidity.   

“I’ll tell you, don’t worry” Arya didn’t look convinced. She put her hand on her shoulder patting it lightly. The height difference between the sisters made the situation a little awkward and amusing for anyone who’d walk through the street at such early hours in the morning.   

“Well, if that’s the case. I hope you don’t get mad when you discover that I ate your breakfast. After all, someone has to pay the fact that I can’t tell mum and dad you have a boyfriend”  

“Boyfriend?” It sounded stupid when you thought about it. She wasn’t sure if the term ‘boyfriend’ was the most appropriate for someone like Petyr. He's not a boy. _‘That’s not his style, he’s more classy’_  

“All right” Sansa admitted. She grabbed suddenly Arya by the arm and dragged her into a hug. “But you can’t leave without giving me a hug” Arya’s face turned into a grimace. “Ugh, let me go! You smell like his cologne!” Arya squirmed relentlessly until Sansa released her amused by her reaction.  

Arya coughed, clearly overreacting. “Are you at least going to go to my practice this afternoon?”  

“I don’t have any other option if I’m going to have lunch with mum and dad after everything you’ve told me” 

“It’s not my fault if we only get to see you three times a year Sansa” 

Sansa shrugged “People grow up”  

Arya checked her phone clock “I’d like to stay a little more to see how you struggle with mum and dad’s questions, but I have to go. I can’t stand being around ancient people like you so long”. 

Sansa pointed her finger towards the apartment over her shoulder. “Do you need a ride? I can go inside and get my car keys”  

Arya raised her hand shaking her head. “You don’t have to, I know how to take care of myself” With this, she nodded her head saying goodbye and started walking down the street towards KLU.   

 As in cue, her mobile phone rang startling her. She really needed a big nap after last night’s activities with Petyr. Sansa picked up her phone and looked at her screen. _‘Mum’_ Sansa rolled her eyes for the thousandth time this morning. It looks like she’ll have to wait a little bit for her nap.  

She coughed to clear her morning voice and accepted the call “Hi mum”. 

“Hello honey! Is it a good time to talk? I don’t know if I called you too early” Sansa smiled into her phone hearing her mum’s voice.  

“It’s fine mum, I woke up early to study anyway” Sansa stretched her arms in the middle of the street, the morning chill grazing her face. She yawned and went back to her apartment to verify Margaery’s wellbeing. _‘Maybe I can take a little nap after all’_  

Today was going to be a long day. 

 

__________________

 

"How's your knee?"   

Sansa swallowed her salad weighing her answer. They were having lunch at a little restaurant next to her parent’s hotel. The food was really good to be honest, nothing too fancy or out of the ordinary. Familiar.   

Robb and her parents observed her attentively. They had been talking for almost an hour about Robb's degree and his plans for the future, barely paying attention to her. She actually appreciated the silence even if it meant it had to end eventually.  

Sansa cleared her voice and put on the most innocent smile she could muster. "It's better actually, I've improved a lot this last month" Mainly because of Petyr's insistence in helping her, despite her stubbornness. Not that she had minded actually.  

"I'm glad to hear it, we were pretty worried about you" Cat smiled at her warmly from across the table. Ned grunted in agreement focusing on his food.  

"I can't play yet but I tried running a couple of times, it went well actually"  

Ned lifted his eyes from his plate "Have you talked to your coach yet? Is there any chance for you to get into the team?"   

Sansa remembered the freshmen at the try-outs and refrained from letting a sarcastic laugh out. There was no way she was getting in this year. She shook her head.  

"I'm afraid it's too late now. They're starting the season next Friday" Ned snorted disappointed. Cat raised her hand to his shoulder and started rubbing it. _'Seriously? It's not like it's the end of the world'_   

Thankfully, Robb changed the conversation topic asking about the family business. Lunch elapsed quickly. Sansa intervened a couple of times commenting on the food but never actively participating in the talk.   

Her phone buzzed in her pocket after they'd ordered dessert. She took it out of her pocket surreptitiously, barely enough to see who had texted her. Sansa smirked, her heart beating a little faster. 

 _Hello sweetling_.

It was as if he was there with her, leaning to touch her ear with his breath. A shiver went down her spine picturing him behind her seat, slowly taking her away while her oblivious parents kept their discussion with her brother.

_Hi :)_

Sansa slapped herself mentally. _‘Really? An emoji? At least he’ll think I’m cute’_

 _You’d never guess what I’d found this morning when I came back home._ Oh, she really wanted to kiss the teasing smile he was certainly wearing, so much.

_Enlighten me._

Catelyn cleared her voice “So, Sansa?” she swiftly hid her phone in her jacket pocket. She knew her parents hated when she was on her phone during family gatherings but honestly, they couldn’t blame her if they weren’t paying any attention to her. “Is there something you’d like to tell us?”

“Well, my semester it’s going great I really like my new subjects, thanks for asking” Catelyn rolled her eyes. “It’s true, and now that I have more time I’m getting even better grades”

_‘Yes, I was right mum. Thanks for trusting in me’_

“Talking about spare time. Your friend Margaery mentioned me last night that you were coaching a basketball team”. _‘Shit’_. Sansa turned her head towards Robb’s smug face. She should have gone out with Margeary last night, maybe next time she’ll be able to keep her away from the vodka.

“Basketball team?” Ned had suddenly woken up and returned to the conversation. Sports had that effect on him.

Sansa ignored him “When did you talk to Margeary?”

“I bumped into her and her friends going to Jeyne’s house last night”. First Arya and now Robb. Did everybody know what was going on in her life except for her?

Catelyn raised her voice “Sansa Stark!” Everyone at the table jolted.

As if it weren’t a good time her jacket pocket buzzed. _‘Shit, not now Petyr’_ Sansa gulped. Luckily no one at the table had noticed her momentary nervous breakdown.

“What is Robb talking about Sansa?” Adamant blue eyes stared at her.

That was the problem wasn’t it? _‘He certainly doesn’t know what he’s talking about’_

Sansa took a deep breath “You know I can’t play, right?” her eyes flicked towards her knee. “One day after practice one of the coaches approached me and asked me if I’d like to help him with his basketball team as coach assistant”

Ned’s eyes gleamed at her. “That’s wonderful Sansa” Sansa released a nervous laugh. At least she could try to draw her father to her side. Yeah, she could try. _‘Until he finds out about Petyr’_

“Who approached you?” Catelyn wasn’t going to give up. Why couldn’t they just keep talking about Robb?

“A coach called Olyvar. He’s a teacher at KLHS” her mother squinted her eyes. _‘She looks so much like Arya right now’_ At first glance no one would have said they were mother and daughter, but Sansa was seeing the proof of it.

“But I normally can’t go to practices because of college” She tried to downplay the matter a little bit. She didn’t want them prying more information than necessary. “He lets me, he understands that I have to study”

“Wow, I’m impressed Sansa, or should I say ‘coach’ Sansa” Sansa smiled at her father’s comment. He looked proudly at her. ‘ _That’s new’_. The moment was broken by Ned’s sudden coughing fit. Sansa poured a glass of water and handed it to him quickly. He accepted it and drank it down in one motion.

“Thanks, I’m better now” His mouth was smiling but his eyes weren't.

“I’m assuming there’s no one you find ‘interesting’ in this basketball team, right?” Catelyn added. Ned’s face turned to stone.

“Mum! They are all younger than me and besides, I’m pretty happy right now to bother about that sort of things”

“The time goes by when you’re having fun”

Sansa huffed “Mum! I’m twenty not sixty-one”

“I already had Robb at your age” her mother muttered taking a sip from her water glass. Sansa rolled her eyes. Her father, sensing her desperation made a signed to the waiter asking for the bill.

Sansa took out her phone from her pocket to read Petyr’s new message. It had a picture attached to it. Sansa blushed. ‘ _Oh my god’_. At least she now knew where her missing panties were.

 _Thanks for the present sweetling._ She was certainly going to kill him the next time she saw him. _‘Shut up Sansa, you’re enjoying it and you know it’_

They exited the restaurant and returned to her parent’s hotel taking a small walk on the way, enjoying the sunny autumn day. Sansa unlocked her phone again.

 _I miss you. I need to see you._ Being with her parents was exhausting her little by little.

_I’ll sneak you out whenever you want. Just say the word._

Sansa smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 11! 
> 
> Well, the story it's starting to get in motion.  
> Hopefully Petyr and Sansa can endure it.
> 
> Thanks for all the feedback and to everyone who's still reading this story  
> Hope you like this chapter!
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	12. Physics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr and Davos meet for coffee. Sansa arrives early to her class.

_‘Careful’_ Petyr took both coffees cautious not to burn himself and went to the table. Skillfully, he deposited the drink in front of his companion.

"Thank you" Petyr raised his hand slightly "It's nothing after what you've done for me”

"I don't think Tyrion will give up, he'll keep trying to talk to you."

"You mean Tywin, don't you?" Petyr opened a sugar packet and poured the contents over his steaming drink.

"In this case, yes." Davos brought the drink to his lips and grimaced.

"Be careful, it’s hot" Petyr said a little late.

"Thank you for the advice," replied the older man sarcastically. Petyr's lip rose in a mocking smile.

"How's the team doing?" Davos finally asked.

Petyr took a sip of his beverage carefully. They had decided the team’s final list a few days ago and Petyr was pleasantly surprised with the attitude of the players. The level of the practices had only increased since then. _‘They are a decent team, but they could be better’._

"The team is doing well, we’re having our first game next week." Davos nodded and took another drink of his coffee, making sure to blow first to temper the drink. Several seconds passed before a small smile appeared on his face.

"What?" Petyr asked confused.

Davos looked at him with his old face. "Nothing it's just that, I was right."

Petyr looked away and continued to stir his coffee. It made him uncomfortable not being able to lead the conversation, especially with Davos. The older man always seemed to see through him. Davos’ grin widened noting his discomfort. "You like to coach."

He quickly composed himself feigning indifference. He didn't want to admit it in front of the man, even if he didn't know all of his reasons. His eyes moved instinctively towards his phone. _‘Relax’_ she couldn't have sent him any messages since she should be in class. He missed her anyway.

He still remembered how he waited for her in the parking lot during her sister's game. Her lips rushed over his own as soon as she opened the door of his car. Their meeting was brief but intense, both of them losing in each other immediately, trying to make up for the lost time away from each other.

Unfortunately, Sansa's mobile phone rang sooner than either of them would have wished. Honestly, he wouldn't have minded if any of Sansa's parents had caught them as long as he'd spent a few more minutes with her.

"It's only for this season" Petyr replied, returning to reality. Davos nodded looking at his drink for a few seconds. The older man's eyes rose to study him attentively, but before he could continue the conversation something caught his attention.

"What's the matter?" Petyr said above his drink.

"Hi guys" said a characteristically high-pitched voice. Then Petyr understood. Myranda walked over to the counter giving Petyr a suggestive smirk. The man with ash on his temples rolled his eyes. ‘ _This can't get any worse’_

Davos chuckled. “I didn’t know you and Myranda…”

“What?" Petyr shook his head. _‘Not in a million years'._ Where did the man get that idea? "No!" His gaze turned to the little brunette who didn’t seem to stop casting furtive glances at him.

"Come on Baelish, I've noticed you are... different lately, are you sure nothing’s happened?" Petyr refrained from laughing. ‘ _A lot of things happened, but not with who you think’_

It was true that since Myranda had joined his department as an adjunct professor, she had not stopped sending him 'hints', which he had subtly rejected. Perhaps he should be a little more explicit since the young woman still didn’t get his message.

Although honestly, why would he prefer someone else having his Sansa? He couldn't stop thinking about her. Was it that obvious? It was not his fault if all the people paled in comparison to her. After all, life is not fair. Of course, Davos could not understand it, just as he could not see what was going through his mind at that moment.

“The other day I went to see the Golden Cloaks” Davos continued.

Petyr took another sip of his coffee ignoring Myranda, who was shamelessly flirting with a young boy over the coffee shop’s counter. _‘Some things never change’_

“How was it?” he answered feigning interest. Petyr wasn’t the biggest fan of the capital’s professional basketball team.

“I was talking to the team's physical trainer, he was a player of mine a few years ago. He told me that it’s very likely that the team will be looking for a new coach next season”

 _‘Well, that is interesting’_ Petyr thought. “Are you thinking of going pro Davos?”

“You know as well as I do that I’m not saying that”

The truth was it didn’t sound so bad. Maybe he was going too fast. He hadn’t made his debut with the KLHS team yet and he was already thinking about his next move. Petyr smirked _‘I’m never going to change’_ after all he was all about long-term decisions.

“I appreciate you thinking about me but, don’t you think the magnitude of this proposition it’s a bit big for me at the moment?” He was not a person who admitted his faults willingly, let alone in front of other people, but even Davos could see that he would be overwhelmed by this.

“Don’t discard it yet Petyr, they’re playing another game next week. I can get you a ticket so you can at least talk to the team's director after the game”

“All right, I’ll go” Petyr accepted recognizing an unmistakable auburn mane exit the library through the café’s window.

Petyr smirked. “Get me two tickets”

 

 _______________________

 

 

Sansa got to the lab early. She must have been the first person to arrive since there was no one in the classroom, unless she entered the wrong place. _‘It wouldn't be the first time'_

She's been having a lot of more trouble concentrating lately. The encounter with her family and the growing attraction to Petyr consumed most of her thoughts all of the time. She kept imagining the different ways something might go wrong and her furtive encounters with Petyr didn’t improve the situation at all.

Sansa couldn’t contain a small smile as she remembered the confused face of her parents after she returned from his car during Arya’s game. Luckily, it was a windy that day and she was able to cover up the disheveled appearance of her hair after Petyr’s ministrations.

On one hand, she had felt a little bad. Her father was very proud of her coaching a basketball team and she had lied to him and the rest of her family. But on the other hand it was the best thing she could have done instead of blurting that she was actually in love with their mother's childhood friend.

“Is this seat taken?” Sansa awoke from her thoughts and saw a brunette girl with olive skin pointing to the place next to her.

"No, it's not" Sansa said, pulling away to make room. The girl sat down. "Thank you, it took me a while to find this building. I haven't gotten used to this campus yet" She said with a strong accent that sounded familiar to Sansa.

"Yeah, it's a little complicated at first." Sansa looked around and watched as the class gradually filled up when a two more students stepped through the door.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but " continued the dark-haired girl "You sound familiar, do you play basketball here in college?”

“Yeah, I played basketball. I can't this season because of my injury”

“Aww that's true, I'm sorry. I remember when that happened. Last year I studied in Dorne and I played against you that game”

“Really?” answered Sansa feigning surprise. She remembered her now.

“Yes, I remember how well you played that day, we had to work very hard in defense”

 _‘Yeah you did. You were very annoying’_ Sansa thought recalling the infamous game.

“Thank you, I'm looking forward to playing again, although I haven't fully recovered yet. What about you? Are you playing this year?”

“Yes, we had our first game the other day, weren’t you there?”

Sansa felt how her guilt formed a knot in her stomach. She didn't think Brienne would be bothered about her absence after knowing that she had separated from the team definitely. It was hard, that’s true, but none of her former teammates had asked her if she wanted to go anyway.

"No, I wasn't there. I couldn't go" She was telling the truth. That day Olyvar, Petyr and she had met for dinner to talk about the team (not to mention how busy Petyr and she were after the meeting)

Now that she thought about it, she had been spending more and more time at Petyr's house, even during the week. His house was quite large and he had offered her a room where she could stay to study if she wanted. Petyr didn't seem to mind at all, he loved to help her with everything he could even if he had work to do.

“By the way” the girl continued, “My name is Arianne”

Sansa smiled at her “My name is Sansa, nice to meet you”

Arianne returned her smile and looked around the room. “Well, it looks like the class is filling up. Have you read what we have to do today?”

“Yes” Sansa answered taking out her laptop. “They sent an email with all the instructions”

They both started talking about what they were going to do until the noise of the class started to diminish. Sansa raise her head. _‘You have to be kidding me’_. She’d be able to recognize his figure anywhere. Petyr Baelish walked into the classroom behind her physics professor, closely followed by a short brunette woman who couldn’t stop talking to him.

 _‘Not again…’_ Sansa closed her eyes. The thing she had with Petyr was different he was nothing like Joffrey. But still, the particular way the girl was behaving made her feel uncomfortable. At that moment Petyr's head turned to observe the class. His green eyes met her own and a small smirk appeared on his lips, he did not seem surprised to see her. Did he know that she had class here today? _‘Yes he did’_

The knot in her stomach relaxed. She still didn't understand what he was doing here or why he hadn't told her anything, but the way his eyes were looking at her was reassuring enough to know that nothing had changed between them. Instinctively her gaze darkened as she turned to the girl beside Petyr. She knew her reaction was irrational but she couldn’t help it, she still wasn’t able to trust anyone completely. _‘He has tell you everything about his past you should give him a chance at least’_ she thought. Petyr noticed her sudden change in expression but before he could do anything, the professor’s voice was heard in the class.

"I hope you have all read the instructions for what we will do today in the laboratory." The lady began to walk through the large room. "There are distributed throughout the lab the different stations that you will have to go through today, please take the appropriate measures in pairs to save time..." The professor continued to explain the mechanics of the class but Sansa was unable to concentrate.

"Finally, if you have any doubts, don't hesitate to ask any of our assistant professors" the professor ended wavering her hand towards Petyr and the other girl’s direction.

 _‘Don't be like this, Sansa, it's not worth it.’_ She thought trying to calm down looking at her laptop.

“Sansa? Is it okay if we start with the “Maxwell’s wheel” experiment? I think it’s the one which is going to take us longer” Sansa nodded and took her laptop to follow Arianne, ignoring Petyr on the way. Today was going to be a very long class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 12! Again...
> 
> I apologise for deleting it before, especially to Clarissa_DN38416 who had left a comment (I'm sorry for deleting it as well) I just wasn't sure about it so I rewrote some parts and correct some grammatical mistakes. 
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone for your patience and for reading this story, you're awesome!
> 
> And yes, I decided to make Petyr a physics professor because... why not? He could especialized in chaos theory this way.
> 
> As for Myranda and Sansa... you'll see. 
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	13. Only You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr looks for Sansa during the break

Petyr hated having to stay to help in the lab. He was a theoretical physicist. He wasn’t supposed to be here supervising a freshman class. Someone had to oversee Myranda’s work though, and the head of his department believed that there was no one better suited than him.

Every second he spent with her was long and unbearable. He was dying to get away from her company. She wasn’t a stupid girl though, that was clear it’s just that… she was trying so hard. The prospect of supervising a physics lab for three hours became a more bearable matter when he found out that Sansa was going to be there too.

The surprised look on her face at the sight of him entering the lab had been satisfying enough to please his ego, but something was not right. Sansa hadn’t looked at him since then. Petyr had a small suspicion about her possible motive but he didn’t want to acknowledge it. After everything they’ve gone through together she couldn’t be jealous of someone like Myranda, right? There was no comparison between the two girls. Sansa was far superior to the brunette in every aspect.

 _‘She could think the same about you every time you see her talking to Harry’_ He thought.

His doubts increased as the minutes went by. Even the students who approached him to ask him questions about the lab had stopped doing so. Myranda tried to follow him at break time but he managed to convince her to stay in class to answer the students' persistent questions. “After all that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?” he had told her, leaving as fast as he could before she could replied that it was his job as well.

He searched for Sansa for a while until he finally found out where she was.

“Hi sweetling” he said opening the girls’ restroom door. She was by the basin, completely focused on washing her delicate hands. Her silhouette against the light only sharpened her slim figure making Petyr want to stride across the bathroom and wrap his arms around her. He stopped his aching limbs from doing so with all the willpower he could muster. It was not the appropriate time to do it.

“You can’t be here” she retorted, looking away with the excuse of drying her hands. He could tell she was waiting for him to address the matter. Petyr approached her taking small steps. His courage grew when she didn’t show any signs of running away from him

“Why are you here?” She asked without looking at him.

“Because I was worried about you”

She turned feigning a small smile as if nothing had affected her “I’m fine”.

“No you’re not” he replied grabbing her forearm to stop her from stepping away. Sansa froze, her body tensing because of his sudden action. Petyr took one more step and stood in front of her. Slowly, he cradled her cheek raising her face. He could read doubt, anger and fear passing through her cerulean eyes.

“Sweetling she’s no one. She doesn’t mean anything”

Sansa sighed shaking her head lightly “I know, I know it’s just… the way she looks at you and the way she can’t stop talking it’s...”

“Hey” he leant forward laying a kiss on her forehead. He felt her body relax beneath him, searching his touch. “I only have eyes for one woman” Sansa kept looking at him, insecure, without knowing what to say.

“That’s you silly” He chuckled. Sansa smirked; her eyes glowing with unshed tears. _‘She’s so beautiful’_. He brushed his thumb below her eyes, closing the distance to kiss her on the lips.

“I'm flattered you hold me in such high regard to be in this state because of me sweetling, but I’m not worth it” he tried to joke. Sansa averted her gaze adopting the same shy attitude as before.

“I know it's silly, but.... I don't know, I couldn't help it”

Petyr pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He felt how Sansa's breathing became more regular and she wrapped her arms around his waist, drawing him closer. Lemon and strawberry filled his nostrils. _‘Oh, how I missed this’_

“I’m sorry” Petyr opened his eyes and moved back a little to look at her.

“You don't have to apologize, Sansa. You’ve done nothing wrong” With this, he began to kiss her all over her face, her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, her eyelids until he was rewarded with the soft giggles he adored so much.

“It's just that, the last time I thought... something like this. It was too late” Her whole demeanor changed in the blink of an eye, telling him enough to know what the matter was. _‘Joffrey’_ Petyr thought.

“When I was with Joffrey everything seemed like a fairy tale. He bought me expensive gifts, took me to trendy restaurants, bought me the most exclusive clothes… In short, he treated me like a princess. The first few days” Petyr's jaw tightened at the sound of the young Baratheon's name but he let Sansa continue.

“Everything was fine, right?” Sansa shrugged “His mood grew sour every time we had a date. He was easily annoyed by any little thing I did, I was too… irritating or that’s what he told me” She paused taking deep breath. Petyr kept rubbing the palm of his hand across her back.

“The first time he hit me I felt so stupid. He told me it was my fault and… I believed him because, everything was fine until I apparently ruined it” Petyr held her close, focusing on her smell to stop himself from leaving the restroom to hunt down the little shit she used to call her boyfriend.

“But, everything was fine, wasn’t it? The days went by and his beatings increased. He got bolder and stopped pretending in public, calling me names telling me that I was worthless.” Her tone was non-chalant but you could clearly hear the rage in her words. He suspected this was the first time she talked about this with someone.

“He always went out partying perched to a couple of new girls, making fun of me because…” she stopped, brushing a few rogue tears streaming down her face “but everything was fine, right? My family was happy, unaware of the monster Joffrey was, my friends wouldn't listen to me and I... I was blind” that's when he felt her legs shook. Petyr held her, drawing her to him. Seeing her in this state broke his heart.

“Sssh” he started to rock her lightly as she continued sobbing. Sansa slipped her hands around his waist clutching to his shirt. They stayed like that a few more seconds before Sansa’s faint voice broke the silence.

“I was a stupid girl” she muttered “a weak stupid girl”

Petyr leant over and caught her lips in a searing kiss. Sansa was startled for a few beats but she managed to reciprocate the gesture with the same fervor. Petyr would never allow anyone to think or say that Sansa was a weak person, not even herself.

“You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met” Petyr said, once they had to stop to catch their breath. “The smartest” kiss “the most beautiful” kiss “and the most wonderful human being that’s ever walked into my life” He slowly directed her to the edge of the basin where he lifted her from her waist to sit her on the white marble.

"You're not weak and you've never been weak"

Sansa smiled into their kiss before breaking it “What are you doing?” she asked. Petyr pulled away for a second to make sure the restroom door was locked and then came back in front of her with a mischievous smile.

“Making sure we won’t be interrupted” Sansa blushed, but instead of discouraging his insinuations, she pulled his shirt until his lips were inches from hers.

“What are you planning to do Mr. Baelish?” she inquired enjoying the thrill of his gaze.

Petyr smirked, leaning to graze her lips teasingly. Sansa moved backwards making him chase her until her back reached the mirror. Her eyes darkened, flicking over his lips and the unfastened buttons on his shirt that left the beginning of his infamous scar visible.

“I’m going to show you” he licked his lips “how I treat the most incredible person in this room” his hand slided down her side, tugging up her skirt. “Or should I say the building?”

“Shut up” she kissed him then, parting his lips with no second to spare. Her legs separated, allowing him the access he needed to close the distance, caressing through her panties in a teasing manner.

He continued kissing down her neck, her cleavage, and her clothed abdomen until he knelt on the floor, bending his head to graze her damp garment. He sucked and licked through the fabric, listening to the softs mewls the gorgeous red head made above him.

Her hand griped his hair when his lips touched her flesh. He hummed into her, making her moan at the feeling. He continued his work, sliding his tongue through her opening. Nipping and sucking in all the right places he had worked hard to memorize every time they’ve been together.

Her legs went over his shoulder, restraining him in place until he finished the task he has so longed for. He kept his pace, noting by her short breaths how close she was to collapsing already. She closed her eyes, taking away the azure orbs he fell for the first time they met. Well, every time he saw her actually.

“Look at me my love” He stopped, catching her attention for a heartbeat before he continued. His eyes focused on hers, watching as her body caught on fire the moment she went over the edge. She bit her lip, afraid someone would be able to hear the debauchery she had been submitted to.

He smiled, rising from the floor looking at the satisfied goddess before him. Her juices dripping from his moustache. Sansa blushed, averting her face unable to hold his gaze. He licked his mouth and leant over her, flexing his muscles until there was no space between them.

“Sansa, there’s only you” he began, feeling how his voice waivered a little with every word he said.

“You’re the only person I love. Only you” She cradled his cheek, resting her forehead to his. He knew that what he said was true. He was unable to stop thinking about anyone other than her.

About the things she liked, her fears, her ambitions, their time together… he cherished everything about her. He just hoped his actions spoke loud enough for her to know how much she meant to him.

 

“Only you”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 13! 
> 
> It's a short one but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I just needed to write a little more fluff and smut in my life. I'll try to post the next one as soon as I can. 
> 
> I'm also working on the next chapter of my other fic "The Fallen Angel" so I may post it before the month ends. (I still need to work on some details) 
> 
> Thanks for the comments! I really appreciate them.
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	14. Busted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last practice before the game

“So have you ever been to a Golden Cloaks game?” Petyr asked, taking out the small office keys from his jacket.

There were already a couple of players shooting at the basketball court, waiting for the practice to start. Harry saw them coming, diverting his attention for a second from his interlocutor, a dark haired boy. He must have been a friend from high school because it was the first time Sansa had seen him at practice.

A week had passed since she had been completely open with Petyr. She knew that even if she acted as if nothing had happened, being able to tell him everything that Joffrey had done to her was a huge step. She hadn’t even told Margeary all the details.

The fact that he had reacted the way he did only proved that whatever she had with him was serious, at least for him. _‘Is it for me?’_. The way his eyes bored into hers, telling her the truth made her lose control. She couldn’t stop her tears anymore, and luckily he was there to held her. Boosting her confidence, making her trust in herself again, as he has been doing since the first day she had known him.

His touch, his smell, his kisses, the way his hair felt beneath her fingers… Every time he was in the same room as her, there were invisible magnets drawing her instantly towards him.

They kept pushing their boundaries, even after little adventure in the girl’s restroom. Their gazes across the lab lingered a little too long. If someone were to pay little attention to them, he or she would have realized how the graze of their hands when she asked him for help wasn’t accidental, nor was his decision to lean closer to her whenever she was passing by.

If what she felt for this man wasn’t love then she was surely going mad.

“It’s the yellow key”, she pointed out smirking at the older man struggling with the door.

“No it’s not” he insisted turning the key again, “it’s the silver”. As soon as he twisted the key, the lock gave way with a low ‘click’. Petyr turned to her with a flourish, ushering her inside. Sansa rolled her eyes at him and entered the small office.

“No, I’ve never been to one of their games, I’m not a big fan of theirs” she said answering his previous question. She had never been to a professional basketball game actually. She’d never had the chance despite growing up in a family full of athletes such as hers. “Are you a fan? Because you don’t fit the type”

“No I’m not,” He said taking out his basketball clipboard from his bag. “Which type is that?” He asked confused.

“You know, someone who is obsessed about their favorite team, communicates through grunts, drinks beer and is always shouting for no reason” Sansa shrugged.

“It sounds like you’re describing half of your family sweetling” he replied with a smirk. Sansa smacked his shoulder making him chuckle.

“Be careful, you’re going to meet them some day,” she warned. Petyr approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, dipping his head in her hair. Sansa leant immediately in his embrace, enjoying the familiarity of his touch.

“And it will be the greatest day of my life,” Petyr replied kissing her temple “telling the great Catelyn and Ned Stark how I enjoy corrupting their eldest daughter”

“It may also be your last” She teased stepping away from his embrace. She would be lying if the prospect of her parents meeting Petyr didn’t upset her. She was mainly worried about Petyr’s physical integrity. Who knew how his father would react at hearing the news.

“It’ll be worth it,” he replied with a cheeky smile. “I promise to behave when the time comes”

She sighed stepping towards him. She took his hand pulling him lightly to her. “I know, ” she said pecking him on the lips. Petyr’s smile widened highlighting his dimples.

“About the game…” he continued, “do you have Sunday afternoon free?”

“I do!” Olyvar said entering the office to leave his jacket in his locker.

“It’s a shame I didn’t ask you then” he retorted, obviously annoyed about Olyvar overhearing their conversation.

“Your loss” the blonde winked at Petyr and left the room as fast as he had interrupted them. Sansa stood on her toes and kissed him on his forehead. Petyr closed his eyes, focusing on her touch while she smoothed down his hair to style it the way he liked it.

“Yes I’m free,” she answered turning to leave the room to follow Olyvar.

“Wonderful”

 

 _____________________

 

 

Practice ended a little later than usual. After all, they were going to have their first game tomorrow and Petyr wanted to review a little more the plays they had rehearsed during practice the last two weeks.

He'd never admit it, but Sansa could sense his nervousness. At first glance, his impassive face didn’t show any kind of alteration, as usual. However if she looked closer, Sansa was able to discern small changes in his posture or the tone of his voice. She loved how she was able to read him a little better every day.

“Now that I think about it, you've never shown me your apartment” Petyr said parking in front of her doorway.

“No way” she replied. They had agreed that he would only accompany her to get the clothes and the things she needed to spend the weekend with him. Besides, she was sure that Margaery had to be home getting ready to go out.

“Why not” he asked with a mischievous smile leaning over her. “Are you hiding something?”

“It’s very messy right now. You know, is a students’ apartment,” she answered turning redder by the second. “It’s very small” Petyr raised his eyebrows not convinced by her response.

"Okay," she accepted reluctantly.

“Why are you so afraid of me meeting your friend?” he asked once they were out of the car.

“I’m not afraid, it’s just that…” How should she put it? The fact that someone other than the two of them was aware of their relationship made things more official. Not to mention the risk to which they were subject to be judged.

Sansa stopped her train of thought to look at him, _‘What am I thinking?’_ People were going to talk whether she wanted or not, why should she care about them? The only person whose opinion she cared about was walking besides her holding her hand.

“The fact that Margaery gets finally to meet you and knows about what we have together makes things more official” she confessed with a little smirk. After walking up some stairs they finally arrived in front of her apartment’s door.

“Which is not bad, sooner or later she was going to meet you, but... it's different I guess” she added taking his hand on hers. Petyr squeezed it drawing her attention to him.

“Official it is then” he said leaning towards her.

“Official it is” she whispered before he crashed his lips on hers. The mint of his breath mixed in her mouth. His lips moved slowly with hers in a sweet rhythm that was quickly making them lose in each other again. How could he do this to her with only one kiss?

Unfortunately, everything good has to come to an end. The moment was broken sooner than either of them would have liked by a loud crash coming from Sansa’s apartment.

“What the…?” Petyr started cursing right after hearing the loud noise, but Sansa was faster and opened the door before he could finish.

The image that welcomed them was the most unexpected Sansa could have imagined. Margaery looked at her in surprise from the floor, underneath a blond boy who was turning redder by the second, suddenly aware of the state in which they had been caught.

“Hey” Margeary said, fixing uncomfortably her shirt the best she could.

“Hey” Sansa answered. She stood a few seconds speechless, staring at the disheveled couple while measuring her next words. “I was just going to get some of my stuff and then head out,” she explained stepping into the room.

Petyr didn’t stand by the door and followed her inside. _‘Really?’_ She could almost see the smirk he usually wore, scanning the couple laying on the floor. Tommen and Margaery got up quickly trying to fix their appearance as if nothing had happened.

Before leaving the surprised couple alone, Sansa stopped noticing the source of the loud crash they had heard before. “I see we need to buy a new jug of water” she remarked with a little smirk forming in her mouth.

Margaery nodded, her face blushing several shades of red. She coughed a couple of times to regain his composure and said, “Sansa this is Tommen, Tommen this is Sansa, my exceptionally opportune roommate whose main talent is to state the obvious” she ended, making Sansa huffed in irritation.

“Hi” the young man greeted with a nervous voice, his eyes flicking towards Petyr.

The man with dark hair and ash on his temples stepped forward offering his hand in greetings before Sansa could say anything. _‘He’s clearly enjoying the situation. Asshole’_

“Petyr, nice to meet you” Tommen accepted his hand shaking it for a few seconds. Margaery kept throwing inquisitive looks at Sansa, which was a normal reaction considering she hadn’t told her anything about her dating anyone in particular.

 _‘Later’_ She mouthed taking Petyr’s hand and leading him towards her bedroom. Once they were inside behind the closed door Sansa couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Petyr chuckled shaking his head.

“And to think you were worried about what she was going to think a moment ago. How old is he by the way? He can’t be older than she is, not with that face” He closed the distance, wrapping his arms around her.

“As far as I know, you're not one to judge. You like them young too” she retorted.

“You’re not being fair, I’m not that old” he protested brushing his nose with hers. Sansa nodded averting her face. Petyr raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t worry” she turned her face to kiss him. Petyr hummed into her mouth, losing immediately in the sensation. Sansa broke the kiss and squeezed playfully one of his ass cheeks over his jeans. “I’m not complaining”

“Now help me to get my clothes. The sooner we’re done, the sooner you can show me how young you are”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 14! 
> 
> Wow that's almost 15. This chapter got a little out of hand so I decided to split it. The next one will be about their first game of the season. 
> 
> I'd like to thank you for your patience and for all the feedback and comments that I've received so far. They're really helpful and I really like reading them. 
> 
> Hopefully I'll be able to upload the next chapter faster and the second chapter of my other fic "The Fallen Angel" 
> 
> Thanks for reading this story!
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	15. Game on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First game

He was drifting into sleep when he heard it. A sudden low rumble on his nightstand startled him, making him retire his hand from his snaking hold on Sansa’s waist. Luckily, she was sleeping so soundly that she wouldn’t have noticed even if an earthquake shook their bed.

 _‘Was it their bed now?’_ It certainly felt like it, even if she kept insisting in having her own space in her apartment to live her own adult life. Petyr fully respected her decision. He could not deny that he missed her whenever she wasn’t with him though. Even his own house seemed a little duller and gloomier than usual, as if it was trying to tell him something he already knew.

Petyr stepped out of his room and went to his office where he couldn’t disturb his sleeping beauty. He saw that Olyvar had sent him the scouting video of the rival team, _‘Really? He couldn’t have done it any other time? Better late than never I guess’_.

He didn't get much sleep at night anyway, so he decided to take a look at the video since he had it downloaded already. He'd show it to Sansa tomorrow to listen to what she thought about it. He was curious to know her opinion, well in everything really. She was learning to think more as a coach in every practice and a little less like a player.

Rosby High School wasn’t the strongest rival in their league but they still had a couple of interesting players that could prove to be a problem for their defense, if they didn’t work as a whole. He wasn't aware of the time he spent awake in front of his computer screen until he noticed a pair of delicate arms on his shoulders.

“What are you doing up so late?” asked Sansa with a drowsy voice. Petyr left his pen on the table and turned around in the swivel chair, pulling her hand lightly towards him. Sansa got his meaning and sat down in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Studying our rival,” he answered as he leaned himself to start laying kisses on her neck. “What are you doing up so late?”

“I was cold” she replied tousling his hair, “come back to bed, you can watch it tomorrow morning. The game is in the afternoon, you have plenty of time”

“But you wanted to go out for a run tomorrow morning”

Sansa pulled his hair lightly to look at him. “It was your idea and besides, we are not going to be running the whole morning” she gave him a quick peck on the lips taking advantage of her position.

“We can postponed it if your knee is still bothering you,” Sansa shook her head.

“No, I’m ready” she stated with a little smile hinting on her lips, “ I can’t be a cripple all my life, I feel like I’m going to go mad if I don’t stop being lazy all the time”

Petyr chuckled, “Okay” he acquiesced before joining their lips again. He knew he didn’t have to worry. Sansa had made great progress in the time he had been helping her. Their kiss grew more intense for every second that passed until she broke it, tugging at the collar of his t-shirt.

“Come back to bed, you can even get your laptop and watch it with me” she pleaded softly. If he wasn’t lost he certainly was now. In any other situation he would have tried to continue the conversation with a witty remark or an out of context suggestion, but seeing her like this made his will crumble.

She led him to his room, their room, where she lifted the duvet to get into bed, motioning her head for him to do the same. How could he refuse? He was certain that sleep wasn’t going to find him anyway.

Petyr placed his computer in his lap so that Sansa could see the screen from her side of the bed. She wasn't content with this and curled up next to him using his arm as a pillow. Petyr chuckled and dipped his head to lay a kiss on her forehead. “I love you”

“I love you too,” she answered yawning, making a cute noise.

“What was that?” he asked amused.

“I’m only trying to distract you from getting away” she giggled. _‘Apparently someone wasn't as tired as she said she was’_.

“I’m not going anywhere” He closed his laptop putting it on his nightstand and turned, pulling her flush lightly against his body. Sansa nuzzled into his chest while he stroked his hand through her auburn locks.

“You didn’t have to do that” she protested, her voice weary. Petyr shook his head. The video could definitely wait. He was busy.

“I don’t want you to be cold, remember?” Sansa smiled into his chest and closed her eyes. He would return to the video after she went to sleep. It was three in the morning and she needed to rest for tomorrow.

“I love you Petyr” he heard her mumbled after a few minutes had passed. He closed his eyes and kissed the crown of her head again. There was absolutely nothing that could spoil this moment. His fears and insecurities disappeared as if they had never existed; leaving him with a kind of hope he had never felt before.

Sleep never found him that night, but he didn’t care. Who needed sleep when he could hold the most precious being he had met, dreaming peacefully in his arms.

 

 _________________

 

Olyvar got to the gym early, like he always did. The stands and the benches were already prepared for the imminent game, leaving him only to check the estate of the court and to get the basketballs out of the small room. He didn’t mind doing all this work as long as he wasn't responsible for putting everything away afterwards.

He was sure that Sansa wouldn’t care and to be honest, he didn’t think Petyr would mind either, as long as he was with her. Olyvar chuckled. The effect she had on him was remarkable. The only time he had seen him smile was whenever he got a good deal doing business when they were partners during his time as a drug dealer. Everything was work for him then, always attentive to new opportunities that may arise, always waiting for the best bargain. Anyway, that was buried in the past now. They had new challenges ahead of them. 

They hadn’t talked about the possibilities of qualifying for play-offs yet, but he really believed they could get there despite Petyr’s opinions. “It’s too early to think about that now,” he had told him. Olyvar could only nod and smirk after hearing his opinion. Petyr always studied everything he did very closely, he certainly had thought about it but he was too cautious to entertain such a possibility.

Olyvar really trusted those kids. He had seen them grow up in his classes during the last few years and they had proven to him that they could give a lot to talk about in the future. But they first needed to end up in a good position in their group. The Crownlands wasn’t a region known for having strong basketball teams compared to other parts of the nation, like the Vale or the North. Despite this, it wasn’t going to be an easy path.

Petyr and Sansa arrived ten minutes after him, arms grazing each other as they walked in the gym. They might think no one noticed, but Olyvar couldn't help but laugh at their subtlety. They couldn’t fool anyone. He really liked Sansa. She was a very intelligent, witty and outgoing girl. She was too good for him, but he was sure Petyr knew this already.

The players arrived punctual at the time they had been called up and before he knew it, the gym was filling up with people, anxious to watch the first game of their high school team. Petyr gathered them in the locker room minutes before the game started, to give them some directions. He was sure he had watched the video he had sent him yesterday several times, despite being so late.

The first time he had known him he could have sworn the man didn’t sleep. He always called him during odd hours of the night to deal with his clients when he worked for him. His hypothesis turned out to be false after seeing him with Sansa during the first meeting they had at the café. Petyr Baelish was a human being, despite the mask he usually showed to the world.

He was sitting at the bench now next to Sansa, looking how the players warmed up for the game doing a lay-up drill. Something seemed off and he didn’t know what it was. It had never been difficult for him to take an interest in the mood of his players. He liked to ask them about their day and to cheer them up whenever he could.

It was really obvious when something was wrong with them or they had a small matter bothering them. Harry was very quiet today, too… serious? He wouldn’t care about him if he didn’t know the kid. Harry was usually in a good mood, joking with his teammates. No matter how annoying he was, it was his personality and the fact that he seemed a bit off really concerned him. He wouldn’t ask him yet though. Maybe he was wrong and he really was just nervous about the game after all.

The referee jumped onto the court to announce that there was one minute left before the start of the game. Olyvar sighed, _‘It was time’_

“Come on guys!” he called, watching how the players sat in the bench after listening to the whistle. Once Petyr named the starting line-up and commented on a couple of directions the players and coaches gathered making a circle.

“One, two, three! King’s Landing!”

 

The game was on

 

_______________

 

 

If someone had told Sansa that the game was going to start this way, she wouldn't have believed him. At first they had managed to get ahead on the game, thanks to a couple of easy baskets after two steals from their point guard, Marcus. Everything seemed going well until the other team reacted, taking advantage of their mistakes.

A hasty shot, a bad pass, a misread defense…It was enough for them to start losing the little advantage they had gained, leaving them six points behind in the first few minutes of the game.

“Shit, what are they doing?” she heard Petyr grumble. It was strange to see how he hadn’t yet gotten up from the bench despite how bad they were playing. If he had been any of the coaches Sansa had had throughout her life, he would have been in the middle of the court barking instructions.

“The other team is in a 2-3 defense” Olyvar commented, “They need to move more the ball and stop making rushed decisions”

“Ryan!” Petyr shouted to their center that had stood still under the basket after missing an easy lay-up. “That’s enough, this has to stop” Petyr stood up and went quickly to ask for a time out. The players assembled quickly around him, letting the ones who were playing on the court sit down in the bench for a couple of seconds.

“What are we doing?” He started, “What are we playing?” The players didn’t answer finding the court floor very interesting. “I refuse to lose because they want to win more than we do, because that’s why we’re losing, not because they’re better or faster or anything”

“We’re twelve players! If anyone needs a sub just tell us! But if you go out on the court, you go out there to work your asses off, in both defense and offense! Is that clear?”

Several heads nodded in understanding. “Okay” Petyr continued. “Now Marcus, we want to play at our tempo not theirs, so keep your head cold, we don’t want to make bad decisions. They’re winning because we’re making mistakes not because we’re worse” Petyr started to paint some arrows and numbers on his clipboard while he continued.

“They are in a 2-3 defense, try to move the ball faster, attack the weak side! Don’t be afraid to drive to the rim and if you can’t, draw the defense and then pass the ball! Don’t worry about the shot clock, we’re going to be able to shoot a three pointer whenever we want” Petyr did not raise his voice at any time, but the firmness of his tone was enough to impose respect among the players.

“The next time any of you tries to steal a passing lane, do it with the outside hand not the inside one, it's already happened twice and we were late to stop them from scoring an easy lay-up” Sansa added. Petyr nodded, agreeing with her.

“If I see anyone who doesn't want to hustle in defense, I'll change them immediately and they won't play again for the rest of the season, okay?”

“Yes coach!”

“Now get out there and fix this!” Petyr finished. The players went back to the court, finding their defensive pairs as fast as they could. Petyr sighed, leaving his clipboard under his seat and stood up.

 

“This is going to be fun”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 15! 
> 
> I experimented a little bit with this chapter writing for the first time from Olyvar's POV. I hope you liked it. 
> 
> The basketball narrative is back too (sorry not sorry, I hope it makes sense because it does for me) Anyway, Thanks for reading the story! Any kind of feedback is appreciated. 
> 
> What can I say about Petyr being in total "coach mode"... XD it was fun to write 
> 
> (I'm sorry for the grammatical mistakes, I did my best)
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	16. Madman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Golden Cloaks' game

In the end he had to spend the whole game standing up. Petyr didn't care if he had to be like this to fix how bad they started out. He would do it, even if he had to be screaming like a madman from the sidelines. _‘A classy madman’_ he thought amused.

They managed to stop Rosby's offense before the first quarter was over. A couple of good defense that allowed the visitor team to exhaust their possession were enough to lift the spirits of their players.

"We start hustling on defense and things start to work out! What a coincidence! " He told them when the first quarter was over. " We can't lower our defensive intensity, keep up the good work. Speak on the court and please, the defensive rebounds! Let's not give away second chances, I even know how to score a basket if I shoot three times."

The second quarter started the same way the first quarter ended, until Harry wanted. Once the blond kid got into the game, Rosby didn't stand a chance. His wrist never trembled. Not even from the three-point line. The opponent’s defense tried to stop his scoring streak but their efforts were useless. Petyr knew the kid was good, but he'd never seen him play like this during practice. He was a really big player and seeing him on the court was like watching a professional play with ten-year-old kids. It was as if he was able to anticipate the other players movements before they happened.

Petyr sighed sitting on the bench next to Sansa and Olyvar. Sansa chuckled when she saw his expression, "It seems like your yelling during practice has paid off, he is no longer late in defense"."

I don't yell during practice," Petyr muttered.

"Sorry, you just make corrections louder than normal”

"They're all constructive," he protested.

"Sure," she replied, averting her gaze.

The way her mouth quirked playfully was driving him crazy. It wasn't the time or the place, but he really was dying to kiss her. He needed to distract himself from her as soon as possible. If he kept thinking about her lips and what they were going to do after the game he was going to have to give his players a lot of explanations when they saw the huge bulge of his trousers.

Maybe they thought something worse, that he was like this because they were winning and not because of the beautiful redhead next to him. He honestly didn't know what was better.

The coach of the rival team wasn’t as incompetent as he thought, apparently. He changed Rosby’s zonal defense to man-to-man at the start of the second half. This was good for their team. They managed to take advantage of the spaces and put into practice the plays they had worked on during the last two weeks.

They ended up winning by twenty points. The players went out on the court to celebrate their first victory when the referees signaled the end of the game. He himself couldn't refrain the little smirk spreading through his face after shaking the  rival's coach hand after the game ended.

__________________

 

"Why did you do a full-court press defense in the middle of the third quarter?" Sansa asked him once they were satiated of each other in their bed.

"Why do you think I did it?" he replied as he laid hot kisses along her neck, shoulder, collarbone, until he reached her right breast. Sansa’s breath became heavy when she closed her eyes trying to concentrate despite Petyr's efforts.

"We were winning by a lot, we weren't in a hurry to score points," she continued with difficulty.

"You're right."

Sansa could not bear it any longer and drew his head upward to join his lips with hers in a hungry kiss. If that was her only strategy to distract him then she didn’t really known him. Petyr gently ended their kiss and he continued to suck on her nipple with a playful smile. "Keep talking sweetling, I'm listening."

Sansa laughed and put her palms on his shoulders pushing him away. Petyr acquiesced her directions and lay down with his back resting on the bed, curious to see what the redhead would do.

Her eyes looked at him mischievously as she moved lower and lower and lower. Her delicate hands stroked the profile of his chest, triggering small shocks through his body as she approached the place he most desired.

"Which leaves me only one option" Sansa continued as she kissed him around his pelvis. Petyr held his breath as he noticed her sweet lips wrapped around his hard member. A moan escaped from his mouth and Sansa looked up satisfied with the state he was in. “You just wanted to show off”

Petyr groaned, arching his body as Sansa continued to suck and lick him, pushing and pulling from him. The pace was torturously slow and there was nothing else he wanted more than to stop her and finish inside her. This was the first time she'd done this to him and he wasn't going to waste the vision of her beautiful lips around his cock, sucking him to completion.

"Sansa..." he muttered as he stroked his fingers through the silky threads of her hair. She glanced at him diverting her attention from his hard cock. Petyr cradled her cheek and pulled her closer. He wanted to touch her, taste her, adore her…

He wanted her.

They melted into a slow and capricious kiss that left them panting in a few seconds. "You say it as if I had no heart" He said when their lips parted, "I just wanted to try the full-court press, the boys needed it." Sansa kept on attacking his neck, clearly enjoying how he was unable to control himself when she was feeling playful.

“Is there no other time to practice it other than in the game?”

“No" He denied by kissing her again. Sansa drew him over her and waved her hands through his hair making him hum in her mouth.

“You are incorrigible," she said as she bucked her hips s towards him, telling without words what she wanted. Petyr, not wanting to disappoint lined up at her entrance, “You’re so wet sweetling”

“I need you,” She pleaded. ‘Who was he to refuse?’ he thought as he thrust into her.

“I’m right here” he assured her kissing her again while their bodies kept rocking in sync, losing in the sensations.

“You feel so good sweetling” Petyr kept his pace, deepening his thrusts with each motion. Sansa moaned his name while he praised her, laying more kisses across her body, worshipping her.

She bucked into him. “Faster” she sighed. Petyr couldn’t slow down even if he wanted to. He complied her wishes with an almost animalistic groan and lowered his fingers towards her nub. He gripped her waist, driving into her until he heard her cry in ecstasy. Petyr followed her right behind saying her name while he fell next to her on the bed.

Sansa stroked his sweaty curls out of his face and kissed him like the pure creature she was and for some reason, he felt like a better man. He held her close, her face nuzzling on his chest. He couldn't think of a better way to end the day than right here next to her.

“You were amazing today sweetling,” he whispered without realizing it.

Sansa smiled mischievously, "you weren't bad yourself" Petyr laughed when he realized how naive he had been. _‘This girl... is going to drive me crazy’_

"I meant the game, but if you want another demonstration of my skills I'll be happy to show you."

Sansa hummed lightly huddling closer to him. “Maybe later, I’m tired” Petyr chuckled and dipped his head pecking her on the forehead. "Do you want to go for a run tomorrow too?"

She hadn’t done bad today. They had gone for a quick run together in a park near his house. Petyr had to admit the run had done him good. He wasn’t used to exercise in a regular basis, but if Sansa wanted he wouldn't mind at all.

Sansa nodded on his chest, "Yes, on the condition that you let me run in peace" she said shyly.

Petyr laughed and tried to justify himself. "It's just that you're so irresistible blushed and sweaty" Sansa buried her head in his shoulder telling him that it wasn't possible.

“I always desire you sweetling, even when you’re sweaty and your hair is a mess as if you were a wild animal”

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“You said yes” a month ago when he asked her if she wanted to help him coach his team. He still remembered the sleepless night he had spent anticipating their future meeting in the small café, the café where they had their first kiss.

As if reading her mind, Sansa gave him one last kiss and covered them both with the duvet. They cuddled together until sleep found them, tired and sated with the events of the day.

Her smiling eyes were the first things he saw when he woke up the next morning.

 

 __________________ 

 

They entered the arena together and Sansa couldn't help but stop and stare. Baelor Arena was larger than she had imagined, with hundreds of rows and stands full of people.

"Is this your first time here sweetling?" Sansa nodded speechless and took his hand. Petyr smirked and lead her to their respective seats. The players from both teams were already warming up on the court and she tried to imagine herself there instead, thinking how intimidating must be to play on a court like this. Petyr kept moving forward until he stopped a couple of rows behind the local bench.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said in amazement.

"No," he replied, clearly satisfied that he had left her speechless. Squeezing in a little, they reached their assigned seats and Petyr sat down tapping the seat next to her so that she could do the same.

Sansa grinned at the sight of his good mood and sat down next to him. Immediately, Petyr put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to him kissing her on the cheek. Sansa returned the gesture, noticing how his smile widened even further.

"Tell me, how did you get this seats?" They were just a few meters from the court. She was sure that she would be able to listen clearly to the instructions from the local team when there was a time out.

Petyr looked at her and raised his eyebrows. Could he be more attractive? His eyes glowed with the light accentuating the green of his eyes. His dimples smiled at her, giving him a more youthful look than he really was. But there was something else; his attitude was more cheerful, in control of the situation. Sansa licked her lower lip unconsciously and realized that she had been quietly staring him for a long time. Petyr didn't seem to mind since he also had eyes only for her.

"A good magician doesn't reveal his tricks" Sansa felt a warmth spread under her abdomen as she watched his bicep flex slightly to give her another kiss.

"But these tickets are really expensive!"

"Sweetling, are you doubting my financial resources?"

Sansa shook her head. She knew Petyr had a lot of money, even for a teacher. He had told him about his past as a drug dealer and the small empire he managed to own, but that was a long time ago. Anyway, her Petyr was anything but dumb and she was sure she was able to make money in another, more _legal_ way.

"You have to teach me how to invest in the stock market," she said, recalling the books and articles she found one day in his office, "I also want to invite you to something special one day”.

Petyr smiled at her again giving her a small, loving squeeze. "Being here with me is enough, I can't ask you for anything better."

"I'll think of something" Sansa stroked his hair out of his face and kissed him on his temple, settling the matter.

"It was Davos, he gave me the tickets," he said after a while. The main referee jumped onto the court and signaled that there were three minutes left for the game to begin. The players from both teams went to their respective benches after hearing the whistle.

"Davos?" she asked in disbelief.

"The other day he told me that the 'Golden Cloaks' might need a new coach for next season and offered to give me the tickets to talk to the team’s director after the game."

Sansa looked at him with awe. "Wow, that sounds like a really good opportunity."

"In the hypothetical case that I got the job, which I doubt very much, I don't think I’d be head coach, maybe assistant coach."

"But that's great, isn't it? Even if they don't choose you, the fact that a professional team has taken an interest in you is already amazing" Petyr smiled shyly to the ground, not knowing how to react to her compliments.

Seeing that he was averting his attention from her, she placed her hand on his knee. Petyr turned and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Yeah, it's great, but I'm not sure I want to accept it. It's too soon."

Sansa squeezed his hand, "Whatever you decide, if you choose not to, don't let it be because you don't think you're fit for the job".

"Of course not," he assured her with a gleam in his eye.

"I'm very proud of you Petyr" she gave him a peck on the lips, which he tried to deepened until they were interrupted by a man's cough in the row behind them. Sansa giggled nervously, but stopped when Petyr bent down again to kiss her passionately. The man snorted in disgust and chose to ignore them.

"You're mean," she said, giving him a little pat on the chest.

Petyr caught her hand and whispered, "I’m the worst"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 16! Finally...
> 
> I hoped you liked it! I love the Petyr playful side whenever he's with Sansa :)  
> Thanks for the kudos and all the comments, I love reading them and know what you think! Thanks for the feedback.
> 
>  
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	17. Popcorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Cloak's game continues (warning: fluffy chapter ahead)

“Petyr you didn’t tell me they were playing against the Wintefell direwolves”

Sansa saw the players jump on the court and shake hands before the game started. The visitors wore a metallic grey jersey uniform that contrasted sharply with the local team's golden color. From her seat, she was able to distinguish a couple of players she knew previously because her father was a big wolves’ supporter.

Would he be watching the game right now? She could totally picture her dad at home, with his laptop doing his work while he watched the game. Normally it was her siblings or Arya who stayed with him watching the game, but she had also joined him from time to time.

The thing is that Sansa couldn’t stand still watching a basketball game if she wasn’t playing it. She became restless every time she knew she couldn’t play. That's why she always ended up leaving before the first quarter was over.

Petyr looked at her and shrugged. "I forgot, I was more busy with other things," he replied, sniffing her neck. His beard tickled and she couldn’t help but giggle at his affection. _‘Doesn’t he ever get tired?’_

"I think you need to slow down a little Petyr, we're in public" she paused for a moment looking seriously in his eyes while trying not to blush, "there are children"

"Hopefully we can teach them something, don't you think?" he smirked mischievously, "or to their parents."

"Are you implying that all the couples who are looking at us with disgust are unhappy? I didn't know you'd judge people so quickly." She tried to scold him playfully.

“If we ever get married I promise not to replace you with popcorn, like the man two rows behind us to the left has apparently done” Sansa turned around to see the man put two handfuls of popcorn in his mouth while his wife was on her phone ignoring him.

"I thought love was usually compared to something more elemental… like fire I don't know, like a flame" Sansa shrugged " Not a bag of popcorn "

"Isn't that romantic?" he quipped.

"It's not something I can relate to."

"Popcorn can get burned too."

Sansa shook her head unable to continue the conversation and bit at her lower lip. Petyr bowed, brushing his lips against her own, teasing her. Sansa covered his mouth with the palm of her hand, preventing him from moving forward.

"All this talk of popcorn is making me hungry" Petyr kissed the palm of her hand.

"Now that you mention it, so do I," he said, standing up, "what do you want me to bring you?"

"Anything but popcorn."

Petyr chuckled, leaning down to kiss her on the head, "I'll be right back. Don't miss me"

Sansa watched him walk up the stairs to a small food stall at one of the arena entrances. She bit her lip noticing how well he looked in his jeans every step of the way, _‘Gods! What is he doing to me?’_

She turned her attention away to the game. The local team had just committed a foul and a Winterfell player was shooting from the free throw line. The scoreboard indicated that the Golden Cloaks were losing by six points with three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Sansa cheered silently when the Winterfell's player scored the second free throw to widen the gap even further. 

The referee signaled time out for the local team and the players went to their respective benches. She listened attentively as the Golden Cloaks coach painted several directions on his board to try to prevent Winterfell's offense. For a moment he imagined Petyr in his place and felt a tingle of pride sprout from her chest.

The coach was older, but his movements had the elegance and accuracy of someone who knows what he’s doing after many years of experience. He never raised his voice. His instructions were direct and clear. She felt as if she was sitting on the bench next to the players about to go out on the court.

She was so engrossed in listening to the coach's directions that she didn't notice the hustle and bustle around her. She turned her head and a group of boys beside her were peering at her with amusement as they encouraged their friend to approach her. _‘What the hell...’  
_

Sansa followed the boy’s eyes, who must have been about his age, into the big screen in the middle of the arena and then she understood. The _kisscam_ was focusing them, having confused them for a couple. _‘This can't be happening’_

Sansa shook her head trying to get away, "No, I'm sorry, this is a mistake." The boy didn't seem to listen to her, too busy listening to his friends and shrugged. _‘I swear, if he comes near me, I'll leave,'_ she thought. The people around them watched them expectantly and some even cheered them on.

Just as she saw the boy closing the distance she felt someone else pulling her by the sleeve of her jacket. Sansa turned and found herself with Petyr's lips. She immediately melted into the kiss and clung to his shoulders so that she could reciprocate better. The people around them broke into cheers and applause and even a few whistles.

“It looks like you’ve missed me” Sansa ignored the laughter and mockery of the boy's friends and came closer to Petyr to give him another kiss. "A lot." His green eyes glowed, clearly satisfied at how he had change the situation to his favor. Sansa couldn't be more proud to be here with him.

They sat down again and continued watching the game. Petyr had brought her a bag of lemon cookies and a bottle of water, knowing she couldn't stand the fizzy drinks. Sansa thanked him and rested her head on his shoulder, sharing a few cookies with him from time to time. Petyr was delighted to accept them as it gave him the opportunity to playfully lick her fingertips every time she brought a cookie to his mouth.

She noticed how his gaze drifted from time to time toward the boy next to her. _‘He’s still upset’_. She wanted to laugh at how silly he was being but she understood his concern, even if it was a bit irrational. Sansa rubbed her cheek against him, inhaling the pleasant smell of his cologne. Petyr responded by curling his arm around her waist bringing her closer to him.

“You’re so cute with your feathers ruffled” she teased.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I made sure you only had eyes for me” he answered looking at her from the corner of his eye.

“How’s your ego doing?”

“Better than the Golden Cloaks” he quipped and turned to look at her with a heated gaze, “way better…” Sansa squirmed in her seat and Petyr chuckled at her reaction.

“Good” and then she kissed him again.

 

___________________

 

 

“Look!” she pointed to man with a bright yellow t-shirt coming in their direction, “what is he doing?”

“Oh he’s throwing t-shirts,” he said looking at the direction she was pointing, “It must be for the half-time challenge” _‘What a waste of time’_ he thought.

“You mean the half-court shot”

“I guess”

“I’d really like to do it” she said with a gleam in her eyes, “It would be really cool to go out there on the court and shoot some hoops” she continued nudging his shoulder with hers.

“It would be” he agreed, “but there's a very slim chance that you could go out and…” a yellow T-shirt fell on his face preventing him from finishing the sentence. _‘Really?’_

“It looks like it’s your chance to prove yourself,” she said between giggles. Petyr stood up and ignored the laughter around him after his little mishap with the t-shirt, _‘Couldn't they have given a heads up before they threw the shirt away?’_

“Petyr!” she called and he turned his feet in an instant, how could he not?

“Good luck kiss” she said pecking him on the lips. If he was having doubts about doing this nonsense he was certain now. He winked at Sansa, “Make a double reservation for your favorite restaurant sweetling, I'll invite you with the prize money after I made the shot”

“We’ll see”

He went down the steps following the instructions of the arena staff until he reached the parquet floor of the court. A couple of other people followed him, all of them wearing a yellow T-shirt like his.

“Okay here are the rules” the Golden Cloak’s speakerman started, he was a rather big chubby man with a long beard, “There are three basketballs, three of you and only one chance to throw from the half-court line”

“If more than one player scores, you will have another chance to break the tie from the free throw line, any questions?” It was clear and simple. Petyr nodded and looked at the other contestants, a middle aged man and a dark-haired girl wearing a Golden Cloak’s jersey.

He bent down to get the basketball and looked for Sansa in the stands, it wasn't difficult to spot her, with her striking auburn hair shining with the artificial light. She was smiling at him and somehow the uncertainty in his mind cleared. He was going to make that shot. Not only because it would infinitely boost his ego, which he didn’t mind actually, he would do it for her.

The people in the stands began to cheer the first participant, the middle-aged man who had just stood next to them. The man run a little bit to gain momentum before jumping and shot the ball from the middle of the court.

“Ooooh” the crowd lamented. His shot crashed into the basket board and didn't go into the hoop. He was about to approach the center of the court to shoot when the young girl stepped forward.

“And here is our second contestant, are you ready?” The girl nodded and moved forward. Her shot was pretty close. He almost believed she was going to make it when the ball bounced off the board.

“They have been two very good shots, but there is still our last participant and his only chance to win the prize, fifty golden dragons and an annual VIP card to watch all the Golden Cloak’s games this season”

His mind went blank. The size of the stadium, the crowded stands, the sound of the microphone, it was all too much. Petyr dribbled the ball a couple of times getting used to the texture and balance of the sphere. The parquet was rumbling under his feet and suddenly he was no longer there. His mind traveled to his last game against Winterfell High and felt a tingle in his stomach. Then he thought about Sansa and had to tighten his hold on the ball so he wouldn't look back at her.

He looked towards the basket taking a step forward, another, and then another until he reached the half-court line where he stretched like he had done a hundred times before to shoot the ball. The stands became silent watching the ball fly over the court.

_‘You have to be kidding me…’_

The sound of the ball entering the basket invaded his ears, vaguely covering the roar of the crowd. There was someone congratulating him at his side but all he could do at the time was smile like a fool. He then heard a yell in the crowd and could have sworn it was Sansa cheering at him.

“Congratulations that was a hell of a shot! What’s your name…?”

“Petyr” he mumbled shyly into the microphone.

The speakerman chuckled and gave him a strong pat in the back, “Well Petyr here is your prize, congratulations that was amazing, give it up for Petyr!!”

Sansa was standing up next to their seats waiting to jump on him as soon as she could. Petyr stepped forward, grabbing her by the waist to plant an ardent kiss on her lips. Sansa smiled against his mouth and giggled. She took his hand and led him to their seats.

"That was worth more than three points." She said interlacing their fingers.

“Fifty golden dragons to be precise” He corrected bringing her hand to his lips “but your smile was priceless”

“You’re just showing off”

“I am,” he admitted showing his dimples, “and you love it” Sansa hummed resting her cheek on his shoulder. “We should come here more often”

Petyr chuckled and laid a kiss on her temple, “We should”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 17!
> 
> I really loved writing the first half of this chapter, the kisscam scene was the first thing I pictured for their date. What do you think about the half-court shot? It was @petyrbaaaeeelish idea so you have to thank her for that, I really liked it and it fitted well with the fluffy plot so thanks :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading as always!! 
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	18. Free throws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter happens a couple of weeks after the last chapter

Petyr looked at his watch, _‘ten to ten, great’_. He was late to his own test. He had stayed too late the night before watching the video of their next rival, _Dragonstone_. It was obvious that his work was taking a toll on him. Luckily Christmas was just around the corner and this whole semester would soon be over. He reached the other side of the room in two big strides and grabbed his briefcase before leaving his office.

He was looking forward to the end of the week and not only for him. He had no doubt that Sansa would pass all her exams, after all, he had witnessed all the dedication she had put into studying every day she had been at his home. Despite all her hard work, she had confessed her concern to him, which he had tried to ease encouraging her. Whatever happened, he'd be proud of her.

Sometimes, when they were both working in the living room of his apartment, he would be transfixed watching her thinking and squeezing her head solving an exercise. She had the cute nervous habit of twisting a strand of her hair every time she got frustrated studying. It was at that time that he approached her, announcing his arrival with a kiss on her shoulder and offered his help.

If there was one thing they both had in common it was their pride, which is why Sansa always refused his offer, justifying that if she couldn’t find out for herself she would not learn anything. Petyr admired her determination, but still assured her that he would be there for whatever she wanted.

“You look so cute when you get frustrated, sweetling.” He had told her once after seeing her close her book in a more violent way than usual to take a break from studying.

"Only when I get frustrated?" she had answered by running her slender fingers through his dark hair, ruffling it.

"Especially when you get frustrated, would you like me to help you?"

“Thanks, but I can handle it” she bent down to give him a kiss and went back to the living room table to study.

After several hours, in which Sansa's frustration manifested itself more and more in snorts and little grunts that echoed throughout his home, she admitted her defeat and went looking for him. “It's just this theorem, I don't understand where you get this expression from.” She had told him trying to play it down as if she hadn't spent the whole afternoon trying to solve the damn exercise. Petyr chuckled making her roll her eyes.

To his credit, he didn’t tell her the solution. He just showed her a couple of clues she could use to solve it. He thought it was the best way for Sansa to feel like she had solved it on her own and not because he had told her.

Petyr walked through the halls avoiding the groups of students who were lining up in front of the classrooms, going through their notes at the last minute. He accelerated his pace and just as he was about to enter the hallway where the classroom he had to go to was located, a familiar voice caught his attention.

“Wait a minute, Baelish!” Petyr stood in the middle of the hall and cursed under his breath. Tyrion Lannister's footsteps echoed down the corridor as he approached the man with ash on his temples.

“Good morning Tyrion, I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a hurry, can't this wait?" He greeted with irritation. There were two minutes left and he could hear the noise of the agitated students waiting for him at the end of the hall.

"It's just a moment," the little man assured and handed him a small envelope. Petyr took it with a quick motion and furrowed his forehead. "It's the invitation to this year's Christmas dinner, apparently it wasn't enough for Tywin to send an email as usual, he had to deliver physical copies”

Petyr inspected the envelope closely. It wasn't the first time he was invited to the event, not all the teachers were invited, just a small group personally selected by Tywin himself. It was a way for him to demonstrate his power, both economically and politically, for it was clear that the great lion gave nothing without expecting anything in return. It was all a political maneuver for next year's elections, but of course Petyr was smart enough not to mention the subject.

“Thanks Tyrion, I'll notify you my attendance later, now I have to go to an exam” As in cue, Myranda came rushing towards them from the class. Petyr sighted her and almost said goodbye when the Lannister stepped in.

“By the way, if you see any peacocks loose on campus, let me know directly," he said, pointing to his phone. Petyr blinked a couple of times without giving credit to what he had just heard, but when he saw Tyrion's serious face he blurted, "are you kidding me?" At that moment Myranda arrived and Petyr handed her the exams.

"Two pages a row, right?" she asked. Petyr nodded without averting his gaze from the little man.

"I wish I was kidding," he replied with a little smirk, "I see you're busy, see you later, Baelish."

Petyr shook his head and followed Myranda to the class door, apologizing for the delay. The students immediately stopped talking and watched him expectantly as they passed the exams Myranda was handing out.

"All I want is a pen and your calculator on the table, the rest is expendable. The exam ends in exactly one hour and fifty-seven minutes. The review will be next week. If you have any questions I’ll solve them in the first ten minutes so read the exercises carefully. Any questions?”

 

 _____________________

 

“Come on guys only one minute left!” Sansa yelled to the players. Practice was coming to an end but they needed to go over some extra drills. Improving the physical condition of the players was a goal that they had set from the beginning and for now the progress was positive

Harry sprinted and finished his lap first with seconds to spare. Olyvar approached to give him a high five and hand him his water bottle. Sansa did the same as the players finished the drill progressively.

They were playing against _Dragonstone_ this weekend, the only other unbeaten team in their league. It was bound to be a very intense game from the beginning and they needed to be focus long before the ball was set in motion.

“We have five sets of free throws to go. Now that we're tired it's the best time to work on this. In the game you won’t be shooting under good conditions and each free throw is important, it can determine the outcome of the game.”

The players grabbed a ball each and stepped into the free throw line to start shooting. Olyvar and Sansa help them getting their shot’s rebound and passing them the ball. Petyr kept making little corrections walking through the court. Harry completed the first two sets of free throws and switched baskets.

She didn't know if she'd imagined it, but something was going on with Harry. Lately he was more focused and had improved a lot that was true. But every day that went by he grew more and more distant from some of his teammates. Ryan turned his head for a second watching Harry leave and continued shooting free throws. Sansa crossed her gaze with Olyvar and shrugged.

Sansa entered the little office after the practice was done and began to pick up her things. Petyr followed her and kissed her on the head. His behavior always changed drastically when they were safe from prying eyes. He became, _her_ Petyr. Olyvar had gotten used to their display of affection by now but he still tried to avoid being in the same as room as them, if he could.

“You look worried sweetling,” he noted, resting his head on her shoulder while his arms wrapped around her. _‘Was it that obvious?’_

“There’s something wrong with Harry, he’s not the same” Petyr took a deep breath next to her ear but didn’t say anything. He stood silent, holding her close, lost in thought. Sansa closed her eyes enjoying their brief intimacy.

“Yeah I noticed” he agreed, Olyvar entered the small office and glanced at them. Petyr found his eyes and Olyvar nodded silently in understanding. Sansa turned her head to him as she felt his gesture and Petyr kissed her on the cheek. “Olyvar mentioned it to me the other day”

“How come you didn’t tell me anything?” asked Sansa annoyed of not being included.

“We weren't certain, so we didn't say anything. We wanted to make sure before we talked to Harry” ‘ _Smart’_ she thought. But what did they want to be sure of? It was clear that something was wrong with Harry. She didn't know how to explain it, but something told her that if Petyr or Olyvar interfered, they wouldn't get anywhere.

“And did it ever occur to you that maybe I could help you in some way?” Petyr raised his eyebrows and released his hold on her. Sansa turned around and held his hands in hers.

“No offense Petyr but you’re just the coach”

Petyr chuckled “What do you mean?”

“Chances are, if you're going to ask Harry directly what's wrong, he won't answer you.”

“Why not?” ‘ _Did he really not see it?_ ’ Sansa raised her hand and cradled his cheek.

“Because he doesn’t trust you” Petyr furrowed his brow. Olyvar closed the office door behind him and sat down on the desk waiting for Sansa to finish her explanation. She had the feeling that he would be on her side knowing the connection between him and the players, especially with Harry, was closer than Petyr’s.

“Whenever one of my brothers was upset and my parents tried to figure out what was wrong, they couldn’t. They only got him angrier and made him drift further apart”

“But I’m not their father, I’m their coach”

“But you’re not their friend either, and young boys are proud” Petyr huffed but stood silent.

“Let Olyvar or me talk to him. We don’t need to do it right away it just has to look casual as if we were having a normal conversation before or after practice”

Olyvar nodded, “I should ask the other players, Harry already knows I know something’s up and he won’t tell me”

“And what should I do?” asked Petyr completely lost. “Should I just act as if nothing’s going on?”

“Yeah that’s the idea,” she answered. “Keep doing your job. Let us handle this. You said it yourself. You’re the coach. You may cause the problem to get bigger than it actually is if you interfered.”

“You'll tell me when you know, right? I can behave as if nothing’s wrong but I’d like to be informed of what’s going on in my own team”

“Of course we will, you control freak” Said Olyvar patting his shoulder. “Well, I’m out. See you tomorrow. Good luck with your exam” He added winking at Sansa before he exited the room.

Petyr waited for a couple of heartbeats and gave her a heated gaze. Sansa smiled biting her lip, not knowing how to react at his attention. His eyes were calling her and suddenly her exam didn’t seem so important.

Sansa rested her hands on his shoulders and nuzzled her face on his chest. His arms wrapped around her immediately, granting them the closeness they eagerly wanted even before practice started. It had been a long day and she only wanted him to hold her. Later she would have to go off to study for her last exam and could not spend as much time as she would have liked with Petyr.

“I’m sorry sweetling” she heard him mumbled into her hair.

“Why?”

“For not telling you sooner, you were right.”

“Hey you couldn’t have known. It’s all right, you did well waiting before doing anything rushed”

“I just don't have enough experience with teenagers” He explained chuckling. “Luckily you do”

“Well I don’t, I only have my family but some of them behave really similar to our players”

“You mean like little kids”

Sansa nodded, “But they are our little kids”

“Our little kids? Are you getting sentimental?”

Sansa rolled her eyes, “I’m just worried” Petyr held her close and didn’t say anything. _‘What I wouldn't give to know what he' s thinking right now’_

“I’m worried too”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 18!
> 
> It's a short chapter but it really sets up a lot of things that are going to happen in the future. I planned for this to be longer but I'm busy writing my other fic right now 'Etherium' so I hope you are happy with this for now. I've been sick the last couple of days so... it's been really hard to focus on writing with life getting in the way.  
> I haven't forgotten about their kisscam so bear with me, there's going to be consecuences, not just yet...
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	19. Attack of the peacocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa receives an unexpected call. 
> 
>  
> 
> _This chapter is especially written for @petyrbaaaeeelish_

Despite Petyr's constant insistence, Sansa managed to convince him that the best decision for her academic record was to return to her own apartment, where she could study quietly and without any distractions. Petyr reluctantly agreed, but not before he showed her how much she was mistaken in her decision when they had a moment alone in his car.

‘ _He’s like an octopus’_ she thought when she managed to get into her apartment, after several failed attempts in which Petyr wouldn't let her go. As soon as she went through the door, Margaery was waiting for her with a cup of tea and a knowing smirk on her face. Sansa tried to dismiss her insinuations, but the way she kept blushing every time Margaery made a dirty comment gave her away.

“So I’m guessing this,” she remarked tilting her chin in Sansa’s direction, “is going to start being normal from now on”

 _‘Shouldn’t she be studying?’_ Sansa nodded in defeat, incapable of denying it. She really didn't know how to explain it, but it was getting harder and harder for her to be apart from Petyr. They had been together for only two months, but his presence was so regular that she felt, as she had known him all her life.

“Well, at least you're happy, that's obvious.” Her cheeks turned scarlet as she recalled the way Petyr had knelt between her knees with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “You're not getting rid of me that easily sweetling” He had whispered in her ear once he was hard and hot inside her. Petyr was always so delicate in their lovemaking, always so in control. However, there were times when he let himself go, showing a little bit of the wild side he was trying so hard to hide. Sansa loved to take him there, to that point of ecstasy and madness where there were no barriers at all. A place only she could drive him to.

“You’ll be the death of me,” he had joked, red and sweaty after their exertions. His dazed eyes glowed in the dark, roaming every edge and curve of her face. Sansa only giggled and pulled him closer, showering him with kisses. _‘And you’ll be mine’_

“That’s good” Margaery added, “I didn’t know you were into more experienced men to be honest”

“Are you done?” she said, taking out her calculus book to start studying. She didn't feel like answering Margaery at the time. It was enough that she had reminded her of the age difference between Petyr and her. She knew she wasn't the first, but she still felt uncomfortable thinking about Petyr with someone other than herself. _‘Stop! He’s with you, isn’t he?’_

“Never” Margaery took a couple of steps towards her and boosted herself onto her desk letting her legs sway in the air.

“Well, everything is great between us”

“Are you willing to share some details?” she inquired, taking another sip of her tea.

“I’m not really in the mood, but he’s _really_ _good_ if that’s what you were wondering” Sansa pulled the book on which Margaery was sitting and forced her to get up. “Now get out! Some of us still have a test to study”

Margaery wasn't one to give up easily and she was sure she was going to keep bugging her, but she didn’t mind. She had lived with her five siblings for eighteen years. Her patience threshold was bordering on the stratosphere.

It was the third time she was reading the same exercise when she felt a light buzzing coming from her pocket. Sansa jolted from her seat. _‘Jon? Why on earth would he called her now?’_

“Sansa?”

“Hey Jon! How are you?” She greeted as she heard her half-brother's voice rang through the speakerphone. She had never gotten along with Jon, not like Arya. However, everything changed the day Jon decided to leave college. Their parents weren't very happy about it, especially Ned. Sansa had helped him then, making their parents see that if he really wanted to do it they should at least give him a chance.

“I’m fine. I’ve just arrived at King’s Landing”

“Really? That’s great! Is everything okay?” He must be somewhere very crowed because she could barely hear him.

“Yeah, I’m here with some friends. I just wanted to ask you if you’re free tomorrow after lunch. I’d like to see you and Robb”

“Yeah sure, I’d love to. I’ll be done with my exams by then”

“Awesome” “Well, I got to go. See you tomorrow sis, and good luck!”

“Thank you! See you Jon”

 

_________________

 

Robb and Jon were already sitting at a table when she arrived at the little cafe. Jon had left his hair a little longer and was wearing his dark curls up in a fashionable bun. Robb kept running his hand through his hair, tidying it one way and immediately waving his copper curls the other way, uncomfortable.

Jon was the first to see her and rose immediately to give her a bear hug. “Hey little sis, so good to see you”

“Hi Jon” she greeted returning the hug, “you’re a lot more hairier than the last time I saw you”

“It comes with the job,” he teased as he scratched his thick beard.

Jon seemed much more.... Happy? She have never seen him so relaxed, was that a smile? Sansa couldn't help but smile when she found out that her brother was happy and felt a little bad about not having been in touch with him for the last few years. _‘Well, you’ve never been that close’_

Robb, on the other hand, was the other side of the coin. He had given her a simple nod when she arrived, leaving both her and Jon some space, but there was still something wrong with him. At that moment she remembered Harry and his strange way of acting these last few days.

"Well, sorry for the delay," said Sansa sitting down, "what were you talking about?"

Jon coughed and looked at Robb sideways, who tapped on the table a couple of times before glancing up. “Well, you see, Sansa…”

“Would you like to order something before we start? We have a lot to talk about since the last time we spoke.” Jon interrupted him. Sansa turned her head towards him and saw how his smile did not reach his eyes this time.

"...We were just talking about you," Robb finished. Jon gave a long sigh.

“You couldn't wait a second?” Jon scolded.

“I'd rather get this over with as soon as possible," Robb replied, "if we do it your way we'll be here until tomorrow.”

Sansa froze. Was this some kind of intervention? She narrowed her eyes and demanded with a stern voice. “Why were you talking about me?”

“Sansa, you lied to us”

“Excuse me? Robb, what’s wrong with you?” she didn’t really like where this was going. Why was Robb accusing her all of the sudden?

“That's what I'd like to know, he's old enough to be your father! For the love of the old gods Sansa!”

“Oh, I see” she mumbled. So that was the problem.

Robb continued unloading his discontent seeing that she did not deny it. "What then? Was the basketball thing a lie so you wouldn't tell us you were with him? Are you really a coach or did you make that up too?"

Sansa didn't give him the satisfaction of looking affected by his words. What did he know about Petyr? She was sure than he didn’t even know his name. He just saw his sister with someone he didn’t know and suddenly felt like he had the imminent responsibility to act because he was her older brother.

Sansa coughed squaring her shoulders and answered in a calm voice. “ Robb for starters, the issue of who I’m dating is my business, okay?”

“You're my sister Sansa”

“Oh really? Who would have thought? You've been ignoring me for the last four months, but you still think you have the right to express your opinion about my life.” She wasn’t a little girl anymore and her thickheaded brother couldn’t understand it.

“Well, after Joffrey, I think that…”

“What? What do you think? It’s funny because no one gave a damn when I started dating him and by the way, Petyr has helped me with that matter a thousand times more than you ever did so don’t you dare compare him with that monster.”

“So he has a name! At last!” Robb exclaimed.

“Didn’t you see it on TV?” Jon intervened for the first time in the conversation, “he said it after he scored the shot from the half-court line”

All the pieces fell into place then. “Did you watch the game?” she asked knowing the answer.

“Yes little sister, did mom and dad call you?” Her blood froze. If her brothers had seen them during the Golden Cloaks there was a greater possibility that her dad had seen them too.

“No” she mused.

“Well that’s good. It means they don’t know about you yet. You’re pretty lucky considering how busy you two were during the game.” Sansa blushed remembering their date. Did it matter if they had been seen? They hadn't hidden at any point. Were they expecting her to be miserable all her life? Petyr’s smile went through her mind and something in her stomach fluttered.

“Are you going to tell them?” Her older brother’s voice pulled her out of her brief daydreaming. If he was asking her that, it meant that at least Robb still had minimal respect for her. She didn’t plan on telling them so soon to be honest, especially after knowing Petyr’s history with her mom. It was bound to come out sooner or later but she only expected to have a little more time before facing the storm.

“It’s complicated” Robb snorted in disbelief. “Please promise me you won’t tell them, I still need some time to order my thoughts on this matter”

“Sansa”

“I mean it Robb,” she warned. Robb raised his arms in surrender. “Okay, we’ll do it your way. I still don’t like this”

Sansa and Robb fell into a defiant silence. The tension was palpable in the small space between them and Jon could not help but squirm in place. A fleeting eternity passed before the latter dared to break the moment.

“Does anyone want hot chocolate?” asked Jon when the waiter approached to their table carrying three hot beverages. Sansa and Robb rolled their eyes but accepted their brother’s offer. Sansa had won the first round, but something told her that their little dispute was only just beginning.

 

________________

 

Robb left the café a few minutes later, announcing he had a date with Jeyne. Quite ironic considering how much he had bothered to make his point about Petyr clear. Jon, on the other hand, kept quiet. He had always been the most cautious of them all, but his judging silence was slowly driving her mad.

“Do you need a ride?” Sansa nodded and together they left the small café. The cold wind whipped their faces making Sansa clutch her scarf tightly. She still had to get to her apartment and get her things ready for practice.

“I’m sorry for Robb,” his brother said once he started the car.

“You don’t need to apologize. I know he’s my brother and all of that but he shouldn’t talk about the things he doesn’t know about” Jon chuckled.

“You two are more alike than you think”

“Since when did you become such a wise man, Jon? Does it have something to do with your hair?” She teased.

Jon shook his head amused without breaking his gaze from the road, “I’m actually happy you found someone, even if he’s like sixty years old”

“He’s not that old,” she snorted. Sansa calculated Petyr's age mentally. He had not told her, but it didn't take her long to find out the digit considering he was five years younger than her mother.

“He’s thirty five and very fit”

“I didn’t need to know that” he replied with a grimace. Sansa giggled and turned her face towards the passenger’s window. It was a strange day at King's Landing. The sky was cloudy, reflecting the weather forecast for the rest of the week.

“I really like him you know” she mused while Jon put on the blinker to get into the campus grounds.

“As long as you’re happy that’s enough for me,” he said giving her a warm smile.

Sansa smiled back at him. He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to disagree with her own family and there he was, giving back the same support she gave him a couple of years ago.

“Well, I don't know if you were wondering, but I'm not here just to scold you. I have a gig next week with my band and I was going to ask you to come”

“A gig? That’s awesome! Of course I’ll go”

“You can even bring your man if you-”

“Watch out Jon!” Jon reacted in time by stepping on the brakes. The little black car stopped abruptly. The seat belts tightened around them, preventing them from being thrown forward. Sansa glanced up. _‘What is that?’_

Jon chuckled unbuckling his seatbelt, “Are those peacocks?”

“No way” The two colorful birds continued their path. Completely oblivious to the danger they had been a moment ago. Jon took a couple of steps and crouched down, grabbing a tricolor feather from the ground.

After a few seconds, they heard the quick footsteps of someone running in their direction.

“Where did they go?” asked an exhausted student gasping from the effort.

“They went that way,” Sansa pointed with her finger towards the gym. She had to suppress a laugh as she imagined the two peacocks crashing into the basketball court during the boys’ basketball practice. _‘Davos is not going to be happy’_

“Is this normal?” Jon asked when they returned to his car. Sansa covered her face in amusement, “It's the most surreal thing that's ever happened to me”

“I've even feared for my life, have you seen the murderous look the first peacock gave us?”

Sansa laughed out loud and pointed to his man bun. “He’s not a fan of your hair”

“Shut up” he snapped tucking one of his curly locks behind his ear, “You’re just jealous”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 19!
> 
> I hope you liked it. As I told you before there were going to be consecuences. What do you think of Jon? He's the ultimate hipster lol. I wonder what would happen next? Sansa has a lot to think about for sure. 
> 
> Thanks for reading as always!
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	20. The question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr and Sansa have a little chat before bed

The light from his bathroom projected as a thin line under his door. Petyr felt a slight tingling sensation running through his entire body. Sansa was on the other side, in his bathroom, in his house. It was not the first time, but every time he saw her in what was once his personal space, he would feel a slight surge of pride in his chest. He was dying to ask her. She knew he was dying to.

The bathroom door opened. Sansa blushed. She clearly wasn't expecting to bump into him like that. Petyr scolded himself mentally. He must look a bit stupid standing there. “Were you going to come in?” she asked, pointing her thumb at the inside of the bathroom.

Petyr shook his head and took her hand. Her azure eyes connected with his grey-green, making his breath hitch, as she always did. Anyone would have frozen at the sight of her eyes. After all, Petyr was only a mere mortal and could not escape her supernatural powers.

"Come" it was almost a plea, a wish. Sansa squeezed his hand in reassurance. Contrary to his own word, it was she who led him to his bed. The two of them covered themselves under the duvet. She turned around facing him and stroked his curls out of his face.

“Is something wrong? You're very quiet,” she whispered. Petyr huddled closer to her until their noses were almost touching. He stretched his arm, running his hand over her hip. She copied his movement and rested her hand around his waist. “I missed you”

Sansa giggled and kissed his brow. “We’ve been together the whole afternoon”

“Basketball practice doesn’t count,” he countered, pulling her closer. “Besides, I was late today”

Sansa captured his lips in a sweet kiss. It wasn’t demanding, she never was. She was asking. Letting him know she had missed him too, but there was something else. Petyr reluctantly separated his lips from hers. Sansa burrowed her face in his shoulder asking why was he late today.

Petyr let out a soft chuckle at hearing her muffled question. He brought a hand to her hair and started waving it through her auburn locks while he ordered his thoughts. “Well, Davos called me because he had a problem at the gym during practice”

“Did he?” Her playful blue pools looked at him amused.

“There were peacocks involved, apparently”

She raised an eyebrow “Peacocks?”

“You don’t look surprised,” he noted leaning his head to start laying kisses on her neck. He hadn't really believed it the first time Tyrion had warned him about the animals to be honest, but after receiving the call from Davos and seeing it with his own eyes, he had no choice but to admit the truth. Apparently there was an enclosure with peacocks next to the university and they had asked the caretaker, a crazy old man (“Pycelle” he believed his name was, he wasn't sure), if one student could use them for his exhibition.

Sansa bit her lip and smiled at him coyly. That’s when she told him about her day, about her meeting with her two brothers and her almost accident with the infamous birds. Petyr loved listening to her, especially when she stood up for her against his older brother. His chest was facing her back now, his arms wrapped around her middle.

“It’s not fair. Robb doesn’t have any right to have a say in what I do or who I chose to be with”

“He sounded worried,” he said into her hair.

“You are not taking his side, are you?” Sansa turned in his arms. He knew she was only teasing him but there was still a small trace of doubt left in her face.

“Of course not sweetling, your opinion is the only one I care about,” he assured her laying a kiss on her brow. He then pressed her against him until there wasn’t any space left between them. _‘How could she keep blushing like the first time?’_

“I just don’t like how everyone around me tries to tell me what I have to do” She confessed, “first my mother, then my brothers, who’s next?”

“Show them”

“What?”

“Show them the incredible woman you’ve become on your own,” he said trailing kisses down her neck. Sansa gasped when his hands hitched her white tank top, exposing her abdomen. He felt Sansa’s hand grasp his hair in anticipation. It was starting to snow outside but the heat he was feeling numbed his senses. “Move in with me”

“What?” Sansa tugged his hair lightly. She was breathing heavily and her cheeks were flushed. “How is that going to help me?”

Petyr crawled until he was at eye level with her. “Forget it”

“No, tell me” she insisted furrowing her brow.

Petyr let out a long sigh and rested his back on the mattress. He could see Sansa looking at him from the corner of his eye. He had been thinking about it more and more every day. He knew he was being selfish and even though he didn't like to trust his instincts he couldn't ignore them. He had learned all his life to be a patient person, through thick and thin. But he knew that his life with Sansa could be a thousand times better and he had no intention of missing his chance. However, he had acted without thinking, maybe even blowing his chance in the process.

Sansa woke him up from his musings kissing him on the cheek, “Petyr, we’ve talked about this”

“I know Sansa and I respect your decision, it’s just that” he paused and turned to look at her. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’m being selfish. This, last two months have been the best since I have use of reason and I thought we could give a step forward together. This room feels empty when you’re not here, the house is different. I can’t even sleep sometimes if I don’t feel you next to me. I know it sounds stupid but…”

“Hey” She was stroking his cheek now. Petyr’s shoulders relaxed and moved his hand up to interlaced their fingers. “This may not be the best timing”

“I know but, when is it?” Any time was good for him. He would be lying if he hadn't planned how and where Sansa's things were going to be organized when she moved in with him since the first time he invited her to his house.

“Let me explain this to you in terms you will understand” she said in a playful tone. Petyr raised his eyebrows curious and gave her one of those smirks she adored.

“I’m listening”

“You’re trying to set up the screen too early” so that was her game, _‘clever.’_

Petyr chuckled “Well, I have to admit that’s a great basketball analogy sweetling”

“Thank you”

He couldn't help it any longer and came closer capturing her lips. Every time they kissed, it was different, in a good way. The small fire within his ribs stirred with each touch of her lips, pushing the small voice away from the back of his head that kept telling him how selfish he was being, that pushing Sansa towards him would only draw her back.

“I would be lying if I didn’t think about this too,” she said once they parted. “But what if for some reason something doesn't work out between us? We've only been together for two months. I don't even know when your birthday is.”

“February twenty third” he answered automatically. Sansa chuckled and shook her head.

“You’re leaving me no choice, are you?”

“Nope”

“It's funny because a moment ago I was complaining about how everyone keeps telling me what to do and now you're trying to do the same thing.”

“You can always refuse. I’m willing to wait for you” and he knew he was saying the truth. He could hear Sansa’s wheels turning in her head, considering his offer. One of the things he adored about her was how she didn’t hide how independent and strong she was. Rushing was never present in his nature and he could tell it wasn’t in hers either, but he could see the doubt in her eyes delaying her answer.

“You are right in something, you know,” she finally said.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t sleep that well without you either” His heart missed a beat. Sansa was biting her lower lip gauging at his reaction. Petyr’s eyes lit up, he had waited so much for her to say that and everything it implied.

“Is that a yes?”

Sansa stretched her arms looking a bit shy before answering, “I’ll talk to Margaery, but yeah I guess”

As soon as she had pronounced that last word he was all over her. His lips were trailing all over her body, tracing every kissable inch of skin available to him. Sansa giggled beneath him, overwhelmed by his attention. He made sure to thank her for the immense gift she had given him, slowly, taking his time. Listening to the changes of her breathing and moans with every action he made. His face rested on her chest once they were done and he could swear he was in heaven. She had made him the happiest man in the city and she knew it. He just hoped he could do the same for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 20!
> 
> It's a short one but I hope you liked it as much as I did writing it. Well, what do you think? Did Sansa made the right decision or should they had waited a little bit? 
> 
> Every kind of feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading as always!
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11
> 
> PS: I needed to write some fluff don't judge me.


	21. Good boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr doesn't want to get out of bed (I'm sorry for my lame summary)

She wasn't sure exactly what woke her up, whether it was the faint beam of light coming through the window announcing a new day or the pressure she felt on her bladder, warning her about more pressing issues than continuing with her slumber.

Carefully, she got out of bed without waking Petyr. She knew that he was a very light sleeper and was surprised to see how he didn't even shake when she freed herself of the arm wrapped around her. She slowly tiptoed to the bathroom door. Once inside and with the door closed, she allowed herself to breathe. She was fully aware that the attention Petyr gave her was quite overwhelming. Her wild hair was proof of that.

Sansa looked at the mirror after taking care of her business and blushed. When was the last time she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach? Did she felt this kind of giddiness with someone other than Petyr? She could still remember the way his breath touched her skin and his arms wrapped around her after they were spent, making her squirm with his dirty words until she claimed his mouth once again shutting him up.

Was she in love? She was sure the correct answer was _yes_. She was totally and utterly lost to him, there was no denying. The chance to have a life a little closer to him, to share her world with him, felt natural? Was it natural? How did normal relationships advanced? She felt a warm sensation in her chest every time she thought about it.

Sansa opened the door leaving the bathroom and stood under the door’s frame, Petyr was still sound asleep. It was usually him who looked at her when she was asleep. At first she had felt a little uncomfortable, but deep down she loved that the first thing she saw whenever she opened her eyes were the warmth of his grey green orbs.

Petyr was sleeping on his back, unaware of her disappearance next to him. Sansa approached his side of the bed and kneeled on the floor resting her arms on the mattress as if she were a predator stalking her prey. Something changed in his breathing the moment she rested her head on her arms, but Sansa ignored it as she heard his slight snoring again. _‘He’s so cute like this, he snores as if he were purring’_

Crouching slowly, she climbed up to the bed and positioned herself on top of him without touching him. Her hand was moving alone to caress one of his curls when his grey eyes opened. Sansa's breath hitched the moment he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close against him.

“Gotcha!” he claimed between chuckles. Sansa broke into giggles trying to resist his relentless attack. His hands didn’t stop tickling her most sensitive parts until she managed to turn around and straddled him immobilizing his hands, or at least that’s what she thought.

“Stop!” She yelled with a playful smile. Petyr’s hands rested above her knees and started to climb upwards making light circles on her skin. He leaned up, trailing kisses up her clavicle, sending warm shivers down her body.

“Did you have fun watching me sleep sweetling?” He purred into her neck. Suddenly, she felt over clothed by her white tank top. Slowly, she took it off making sure he paid attention to every action she made. His immediate groan echoed all over the room, telling her loud and clear how much he wished to ravish her.

“Not as much as I do when you’re awake,” she answered wrapping her arms around his neck.

Petyr gave her a heated gaze, “I'm glad we feel the same way.” His hands were all over her then, their mouths joined once again, eager as the first time. They managed to got rid off the little clothes they still had on between kisses and giggles.

His mouth found the expanse of her neck, trailing random paths around her pulse point, always moving, always hungry.

Sansa moaned the moment he entered her. There wasn’t even time for more foreplay, she wanted all of him at once and that’s what she got.

“Yes Petyr…” she cried before biting her lip. Petyr’s thrusts got slower and slower, Sansa wrapped her legs around his waist encouraging him.

“No sweetling, I’m enjoying the view” Sansa groaned in frustration making him chuckle. Petyr bent down and caught one of her nipples in his mouth and started to suck on it.

“You should see yourself, so needy, so willing, so beautiful.” His hips began moving again. Sansa’s right hand clutched the sheets while the other weaved through his hair. Petyr followed his course, breathing slowly into her neck until he reached the shell of her ear and bit at it seductively. “So irresistible.”

“Petyr…” she pleaded. His thrusts varied from deep to shallow depending on her response. When it seemed that he was going to resume his rhythm and free her from the sweet agony to which she was subjected, he stopped and changed to a much more tortuous pace.

“This is how I want you Sansa. Here with me, every day.” He kissed her deeply then, their hearts beating fast and erratic. “I want to kiss you until my lips wear out. I want to hear every little moan, every little gasp your mouth makes and know it’s because of me.”

“I want to feel your smile on my skin, how you come undone over and over again. I want to love you Sansa.” She opened her eyes then and found the dark pools of his green eyes gazing into her very soul.

“Let me love you”

Sansa couldn’t answer even if she wanted, so she cried his name. The soft gasps and moans that escaped her mouth were enough encouragement. His thrusts became deeper and greedier, bordering the level of madness she loved to drive him to.

“Oh my… Petyr!” She said before letting out a groan of ecstasy. Her walls fluttered as Petyr moaned into her lips, spilling his seed inside her. They stayed like that for a while. Their bodies tangled with each other, breathing, skin against skin.

_‘Let me love you’_

His words kept ringing in her head, over and over again. Sansa looked up and saw him staring at her, completely entranced as if everything had been a dream. It hadn’t been.

“I love you.” She said. Petyr’s eyelids blinked a couple of times analyzing her words. Sansa closed the small distance between them and started smothering him with kisses all over his face.

“I love you.” She repeated.

“I know.” He answered cupping her cheek. He pressed a light peck on her lips as he tucked a wild strand of red hair behind her ear.

Sansa let out a short giggle and suddenly they were both chuckling and grinning like fools. The motive wasn’t important. There were little things one could say after a heated session of lovemaking, especially if it was followed by those three little words. They had told them to each other before, but it wasn’t as intense and raw as it had been right now.

“Are you going to wake me up like this every morning?” She heard him say.

“Only if you’re a good boy”

“But I’m a good boy.” He assured her as he huddle next to her.

“Yes, you’re my good boy” She admitted kissing him again. Petyr wanted to deepen it but she moved back and got out of bed before he could stop her.

“Come back to bed.”

“Oh no mister you need to get up, we can lay around on your bed all you want tonight after practice. We have an important game tomorrow, remember?” Petyr groaned. He knew she was right but the fact that she was walking unabashedly naked around his room wasn’t helping.

“You mean our room.” Petyr got out of bed and stretched his limbs. _‘Our room.’_ Yesterday she had agreed to move in with him, so yeah. It was technically _their_ room now. He approached her slowly and hugged her from behind. Sansa smirked when she felt his obvious erection pressed against her.

“I’ll tell you what we’re going to do,” he whispered huskily in her ear. “You’re going to come back to bed with me and I’m going to eat you pussy until you forget how to count to ten. Then we’re going to have a shower and I’m going to invite you to a nice breakfast at your favorite café. How does that sound?” He asked kissing her on the cheek.

“Is the lemoncake included in your nice breakfast?”

“Is the snow white?” Sansa rolled her eyes and turned around facing him. Petyr’s heated gaze landed on her breast making her blush, even after everything they’ve done. Petyr smirked and pulled her close until their noses were brushing.

“Like what you see?” She teased.

“What’s not to like?”

“Can you stop answering my questions with more questions?” Petyr chuckled again. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“How’s your knee?” He asked completely changing the topic.

“What? Good, why?”

Petyr tsked shaking his head. “No, I think you need my help.” And before she could answer, he lifted her up and carried her towards the bed.

“Stop! Put me down!” She demanded between giggles. Petyr wasn’t the tallest man in the world but he certainly was stronger than he looked.

“Your wish is my command, my lady.” He said before he tossed her down on the middle of the bed.

“You’re incorrigible” She accused while he crawled up to her. _‘The predator becomes the prey.’_

Determined, he cupped her nape and drew her for a kiss. It was sweet, pretty refreshing for the heated atmosphere that surrounded them. But he didn’t stop there, what was once an innocent gesture became something wilder the moment her lips started moving.

“And you love me for it.” She heard him say once she had recovered some part of her consciousness.

Sansa smiled into his kiss. “My good boy.” Although, now that she thought about it, he was more a man than a boy. His face was still adorable every time she called him that though. Was it a bit kinky? She should try to call him ‘daddy’ sometime to see his reaction even if she wasn’t really into that sort of thing.

“Now!” He interrupted sliding down slowly towards her small curls, “Where were we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 21!
> 
> Is was basically fluff/smut but hey, I think they deserved it. The next chapter is the game against Dragonstone so this is not over yet! Thanks for reading as always! I hope you liked it.
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	22. Coach B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Practice before the big game.

“Ryan, you have to talk in defense whenever your post comes up to set a screen.” Petyr explained pausing the drill. “Marcus or whoever is guarding the point guard can’t see what’s going on behind them because they’re guarding the ball, you have to tell them.”

“Don’t switch your defensive pair we don’t want mismatches. On the other hand if you can’t avoid to switch, what I want the defense to do now is to wait until the post sets the screen.” Petyr approached Ryan and pushed him slightly so he did everything he told him. “Stay on the same level of the ball behind the post and then come up getting wide, so the ball handler dribbles out. That’s what we want to do. We want to force him out so he can’t pass the ball to the cut that easily.”

“What about Marcus?” Harry asked.

“When Marcus gets caught in the screen, Ryan jumps to the ball, but at the same time Marcus goes underneath the screen and returns to his defensive pair. When he does, the post, Ryan in this case, goes back in position. Is really quick so you have to be able to communicate.”

“Okay, let’s run a couple of drills doing this. Dragonstone has a really tall team and they rely a lot in the pick and roll for their offense, so defense! Be aggressive! Don’t let them time to think.”

Seconds later the gym was invaded by balls dribbles and shouts of warning such as "Ball screen! Ball screen!" and "Switch!" Petyr walked around the gym correcting several details. Sansa and Olyvar followed his lead and did the same.

“Lance look at the ball! You have to know where it is to know when to jump.” Sansa said. Lance immediately looked up searching for the ball, losing by a fraction of a second his mark. Harry took advantage of this and cut backdoor towards the rim.

“Hey! It’s okay do it again from the beginning.” She added when she saw Lance roll his eyes in frustration. After a few minutes, Petyr walked over to her walking across the sideline.

“Good job, now focus on getting them to box out to get the rebound. The offense it’s not over until they score or the defense recovers the ball.” Sansa nodded and blushed when she saw the small hickey peeking from the collar of his polo shirt.

“Sansa?” He asked furrowing his brow. She looked away from the court and took a step closer to him to whisper in his ear. “You should button up your last button, I can see a small present I gave you this morning.”

Petyr smirked and winked at her before returning to the center of the court. She clearly saw how he not only ignored her suggestion, but also unbuttoned the next collar button.

 _‘Just act normal and no one would say anything.’_ She thought trying to calm herself.

“Okay listen up! Nice work today guys!” He praised from the middle of the court. One of the players raised his hands in celebration as they gathered around Petyr. “Yeah, even you Jake."

There was a collective laugh before he spoke again. Olyvar moved around the crowd and stood next to her while Petyr told them to do the usual free throw drill as they always did at the end of the practice.

“Don’t.” She muttered loud enough for him to hear, guessing where his thoughts were going.

Olyvar shrugged, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sansa huffed and turned to her side. Olyvar was watching her from the corner of his eye with a knowing smirk that only got to embarrass her more. “Hey, don’t get mad at me I was just teasing you.”

“That doesn’t help Oly.” She answered defensively. Olyvar was taken aback for a second by his sudden nickname and then he chuckled.

“It’s okay little lovebird, I don’t want the details.” He said making weird grimace with his face. Sansa couldn’t help but laugh at his silly behavior and nudged him with her shoulder once she saw Petyr eyeing them.

Olyvar stopped and coughed a couple of times trying to maintain his composure. Sansa did the same but couldn’t help to let out a giggle once Olyvar started talking next to her ear again. “Just look at him! Look at how he walks” Sansa’s eyes landed at Petyr’s figure and the way his hips moved every time he took a step. “Look at that ass sway.”

Olyvar’s words were interrupted by Sansa’s sudden stomp on his foot. He covered up the sharp pain that was coursing through his toes with a nervous chuckle as if Sansa had told the funniest joke. “That ass is mine.” She told him with an innocent smile before leaving his side to get a rogue ball that escaped towards the stands.

But Olyvar won’t leave her alone and stood next to the sideline waiting for her while the players finished shooting their free throws. Sansa didn’t mind actually, it was fun to talk like this with someone and Olyvar had been a friend since the beginning.

 _‘For both of them’_. She thought thinking about Petyr.

“I don’t know what you did girl but he’s definitely wearing that hickey with pride.” Sansa’s face was red as a beet.

Amusement filled his eyes before he lowered his tone and put on a weird accent. “And here we see a rare specimen of a wild alpha male in his natural habitat looking for his lost clipboard, oh shit he’s coming! Act natural!”

Sansa’s face was in tears from laughter when Petyr got to them. “Hey! Am I the only one doing something around here?”

“I’m sorry I was teaching Sansa how to make a perfect impression of a northern accent. I don’t know why she’s laughing to be honest, that’s just rude.” He lied crossing his arms and looking at her in a disapproving manner.

“That’s because she’s from the north and your impressions are not that good... Why am I even saying this? Go put the basketballs away and do something useful.”

“It was a cute try though.” She told him as he crossed the court towards the small office. Olyvar winked at her over his shoulder causing Petyr to roll his eyes.

“Coach! Can I stay a little more practicing some shooting?” She heard Harry ask from the free throw line. Most of the players were already leaving and it was starting to get dark outside.

“Sure, but it would be ten minutes tops.” Petyr answered. Sansa raised her eyebrows at him.

“It won’t be a problem.” Harry assured him, “thanks coach B.”

 _‘Coach B?’_ Petyr mouthed to her. Sansa ignored him and grabbed his hand pulling him forward. Petyr complied and chuckled when he saw her buttoning up his polo shirt.

“Are you sure sweetling? People might talk”

“They’re going to talk whether I like it or not and besides, I’m only making sure you look professional. So try to keep your hands to yourself Baelish.” She warned.

Petyr tsked. “I actually prefer coach B now. I don’t know if you’ve heard.”

Sansa ignored him and left his side. She didn’t need to look at him to know he was watching every step she made across the court. Sansa reached the basket where Harry was and started to pass him the rebounds from his own shots. They needed to close the gym very soon but she understood the blonde boy perfectly, she would have done the same with a game as important as tomorrow's.

Harry’s shooting technique was almost flawless, it was as if time stopped every time he jumped to stretch his arms; pointing his right fingers towards the basket while his left hand stayed perpendicular with his thumb. His shoulders were right, his feet were right. The guy was infuriating. His only opponent was tiredness, and ten minutes in basketball can be really tiring.

“Do you want to go for another round?” She asked him after getting his last rebound.

“No, I think I’m done for the day.” He replied gasping from the extra effort. “Thank you Sansa.” Olyvar hadn't put the balls away, since Harry was still shooting, so they took together the net into the equipment room.

“How are you doing Harry? It’s been a long time since I asked you.” Sansa scold herself mentally for the awkwardness. Hopefully Harry would ignore her awful attempt at conversation. What was she supposed to ask anyway? _‘Hey I notice you’re acting weird and I was wanted to know why?_ ’ She shouldn’t be so obvious.

“Well, as good as I can be with tomorrow’s game.” He answered without looking at her.

“Are you worried?” _‘Of course he’s worried.’_ She thought, but she couldn’t think of any other way to continue their conversation.

Harry sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, but it’s just another game. I’m sure it’ll be fine as long as we play the same way we’ve done during practice.”

“You don’t sound so sure.” She noted.

“It’s just that… I don’t know. High school is taking a toll on me slowly with all the work we have to do. I’m a bit overwhelmed.” He explained with a shy smile. She noticed he felt a bit uncomfortable talking to her so she decided to drop the matter for now.

They had just finished putting the balls away when Harry talked to her again.

“Umm… Sansa?”

She turned around under the doorframe and saw how Harry walked to her until they were both face to face. He was taller than her but not by much.

“I wanted to apologize.” He finally said looking at his feet.

“Why? What for?” She asked confused.

“For saying the things I said the first day of practice and I don’t know. I really think you’re a great coach, the three of you actually.” He explained scratching the back of his neck.

“You didn’t need to apologize Harry and thank you.”

“No, I’m serious. The last coach didn't care that much about us. The one we had two years ago I mean, because we didn’t even have one last year.” His hazel eyes were looking at her now seriously. “When Olyvar told us we were going to have a basketball team again, well, I was honestly very thrilled about it.”

Sansa was speechless. She knew they needed a new coach at the beginning of this season, that’s why Petyr was here. What she didn’t know was the fact that they couldn’t form a team last year because no one wanted to coach them. She couldn’t imagine having to go through all of that as a player. Not being able to play because one person thinks you’re not worth his time. Did Petyr know this?

“Wow, I don’t know what to say Harry. I’m really happy to be here actually, and I know Petyr is too, even if he’s a bit grumpy sometimes.”

He chuckled then, his dimples showing for the first time. “Some of the parents of the team's players think he's not a good coach because he's very quiet during the games, you know? They don’t understand his way of coaching. They’ve been complaining since the beginning but they won’t say anything because we’ve won all of our games.”

“Yeah, he’s rather quiet but he knows what he’s doing.” She agreed.

“I really like him as our coach. He’s a bit weird but is a good weird. It’s not fair that…”

“What?” she asked him.

“Nothing.” He said averting his gaze again.

Sansa chuckled. “Why do you say he’s weird?”

“I won’t say anything because you’ll tell him.” He answered shaking his head.

“No I won’t.” She promised him innocently. But Harry wasn’t willing to say anything else and walked around her towards the door.

“Are you? Are you with him?” He asked with an unsure voice.

“What?”

Harry turned around, his eyes flickering through the room nervously. “Are you two…? You know. Romantically involved?” He asked blushing. “I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude. I shouldn't have said that.”

“Hey no worries.” She assured him, “but you’re right, we’re kind of going out.”

“Good.” He said nodding his head, his eyes landing on his feet.

“Why do you ask?” She asked.

“I was just curious. The way he looks at you and… you know.” Harry put two of his fingers up pointing at his neck. It was now Sansa’s turn to blush understanding his meaning. “It’s okay really, I’m not against it.”

“Harry calm down. You’re just making everything more awkward than what it actually is.” She wanted to tell him that anything he said wouldn’t change the fact that she was going to keep seeing Petyr, although that would have been a bit unfair from her part, Harry’s intentions weren’t bad.

They both exited the room in an awkward silence. Olyvar was talking to Petyr while they were waiting for them. Sansa took her coat from Petyr’s hand and put it on ignoring Olyvar’s smirk.

Petyr was wearing the coat she had bought him last week. _‘An early Christmas gift’_ she had said. Petyr didn’t want to accept it at first, putting as an excuse that she shouldn't have bothered but seeing, as she’d be really happy if he wore it for her, he relented. He could never say no to her.

“Harry, do you know whose hoodie this is? Is it yours? Someone left it next to the stands.” Asked Olyvar holding a black hoodie. Harry took it from him and shook his head. “It’s not mine, but I think it’s Ryan’s.”

“Are you sure?”

Harry nodded and returned the hoodie to Olyvar. Something dropped from the hoodie’s pocket making a soft noise against the floor. Sansa crouched taking it in her hand.

“What’s this?” She asked holding the small zip bag. Petyr furrowed his brow, his eyes flickering towards Harry, but it was Olyvar the one who talked taking the suspicious object from Sansa.

“Harry, did you know something about this?” Harry took a step back shaking his head. Petyr’s tone was calmed but it still held a dangerous warning in it.

“Harry, this is dangerous stuff.” Olyvar said inspecting the bag. “Yes I know exactly what this is don’t look so shocked, Petyr does too, the question is how do you know?”

Sansa stood silent next to Petyr. She didn’t know what was going on but she could sense how Petyr’s breathing changed telling her to stay alert. Harry covered his face rubbing his eyes. “Well, it’s not mine. I told Ryan to quit, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”

“For how long?” Petyr cut in, “for how long did you know?”

“For a month. I didn’t say anything in the beginning because I thought Ryan would stop using if I told him. We’ve been friends since kindergarten, but he didn’t and I didn’t know what to do. He lied to me.”

“Hey it’s fine Harry, breathe.” Olyvar said trying to calm him. Harry’s shoulders slumped under the pressure. “Forgive me for asking but, did you ever…? You know”

“Used? No! I would never, my dad…”

“It’s okay, I only needed to ask. You’re aware this is serious, right?” Harry nodded and gulped loudly.

“I’m sorry but what is this?” Sansa whispered in Petyr’s ear trying not to interrupt Olyvar.

“Cocaine.” Sansa’s eyes widened. Petyr turned around and gave her a knowing look telling her everything that word implied. The rules are the rules and she knew perfectly what this meant, and something told her this was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 22!
> 
> The game is the next chapter, sorry. I wasn't going to introduce this until later but I thought it was a great oportunity to do it. So we finally found out why Harry was so weird a few chapters ago. I know some of you had guessed it but I don't know about the rest. Were you shocked? What are they going to do now about tomorrow's game? What's going to happen to Ryan? 
> 
> Thanks for reading and all the feedback, I really appreciate it.
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11
> 
> PS: I love Olyvar in this chapter, I hope you did too.


	23. Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olyvar, Sansa and Petyr talk about Ryan. Petyr and Sansa have and interesting conversation.  
> The game is about to begin.
> 
>  
> 
> (I told you I sucked at summaries) I love you all.

                                                                           

 

She changed her clothes as soon as they arrived to Petyr's house. It had been a long day and the only thing on her mind was to get into bed as soon as possible. She had texted Margaery telling her she wasn't going to go back to their apartment to sleep tonight either ( She still had to tell her she was moving in with Petyr). Her friend had immediately responded with a string of fruit emojis that didn't exactly encouraged her to eat healthier. _'She's never going to change.'_ She thought shaking her head lightly while she tried to hide her small blush.

Petyr and Olyvar were in the living room waiting for her as they talked about Ryan and everything that happened during practice. Sansa slumped on the gray sofa and turned on the TV, completely ignoring the fact that she was the only one in her pajamas.

"Olyvar and I ordered a pizza, would you like something to drink?" Petyr asked as he saw her walk through the door. Sansa nodded, accepting the glass of wine offered by Petyr and headed for the sofa once again, but not before thanking him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Petyr really, you don't have to, I don't want to be here bothering you any longer than necessary." Olyvar interjected.

"Nonsense Olyvar, you don't bother us. Here, take it." He assured him by giving him another glass of wine.

Petyr sat beside her on the sofa, immediately wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Sansa reclined on him, feeling his familiar warmth and smiled as he kissed her on the head. "You want a blanket? I have blankets in that little trunk." He pointed moving his chin towards the dark chest next to the TV.

Sansa nodded, unable to contain a small yawn. Petyr smirked and gave her a peck on the lips before getting up. _'How can he still taste like mint?'_ Olyvar ignored their little interaction and sat down on the armchair next to the sofa, being careful not to spill his glass of wine.

"What are we going to do then?" Olyvar asked, once they were all comfortable, eating pizza as they watched the golden cloaks' game on TV.

"Rules are rules." Petyr replied without looking at him as he took a sip of his glass of wine. Sansa took another bite out of her pizza, bringing her plate closer carefully so as not to stain the sofa and blushed at the sight of Petyr watching her with hungry eyes. _'Was he even going to let her eat in peace?'_

"Does that mean you're not gonna let him play tomorrow?" Sansa asked.

"No sweetling, it means Ryan is no longer in the team. We're not only talking about him breaking the team and school's rules, he has also broken the law." He said in a firm voice.

Olyvar let our a small chuckle from his seat. Petyr turned his head from the TV, "do you find this funny?"

"No, Petyr, I think it's funny that we're the ones who have to punish Ryan when you and I have done more serious shit."

"What are you talking about?" Sansa asked bewildered.

Olyvar raised his eyebrows, "has he never told you how Petyr and I first met?" Sansa shook her head. She had always thought that Olyvar had met Petyr working in the university. 

"Remeber when I left Riverrun?" Petyr said answering to her silent question. Sansa nodded and looked into his green orbs, "yes". Sansa moved closer to him noting his discomfort, knowing full well the bad memories he must have been remembering.

"Well, let's just say I had to get by and I ended up dealing with illegal substances to make a living," he confessed.

"It means he became a drug dealer." Olyvar chided before taking another sip from his glass of wine. Sansa’s eyes widened.

"Or as I prefer to call it, extracurricular activities."

Sansa turned in his arms, smiling mischievously at him. "Is that true?" For some reason she was not surprised by the fact that he had been involved in something illegal. He always seemed to be hiding something behind his daring smirk.

"I had to pay college somehow." His hand slowly lowered down to her waist giving her a gentle squeeze. Olyvar didn't get to see their gesture since the blanket was covering them.

"Have you ever been...?"

"What? Been arrested?" Petyr shook his head denying it. Sansa took a deep breath. How would she have explained that to her parents? Although if she thought about it a little better, they wouldn't have needed to know that little detail.

"And I've never done drugs if you were wondering. You don't mess with the goods." Now he was just being a show off and she loved it.

"What about Olyvar?" She asked glancing at the blond boy.

"He worked for me. He was in charge of distribution, in the college area in particular."

"Those were wild years, but as you can see we're decent people now and that phase of our past is forgotten." Petyr nodded in agreement, rubbing her belly under the blanket. Sansa snuggled closer to him, kissing his shoulder. 

"Sweetling, I promise you that all that phase of my life is forgotten, I can't deny that the money wasn't appealing but I have other, much more important priorities in mind." He said looking her in the eye. It was obvious that he no longer needed the money as much as before because of his position in college.

 _'He went from an abandoned orphan to the man who is now hugging me.'_ She thought feeling a surge of pride invade her chest because of him. For having overcome all the adversities he had faced, even if he had to resort to unconventional methods.

"I know." She replied smoothing his hair. His grey green eyes softened and felt a wave of affection coming from his gaze. It was weird how sometimes they didn't even need to talk to communicate. A change, a movement, a caress or even a glance was better than any word.

Petyr averted his gaze after a few seconds to Olyvar. "Tomorrow we'll talk to Ryan before the game to tell him. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being teased right under my nose."

"How did he get the coke anyway? That stuff is expensive." Sansa said, remembering the times she went out partying with Joffrey. He got high and drunk every night and Sansa hated every second of it. Joffrey always became more violent after he took a few lines and she always paid the price. _'I should have realize sooner what kind of person he was.'_ She thought, regretting her time with the young Baratheon.

"Ryan has been a spoiled child all his life. His father is loaded and apparently he has also inherited some of his less advisable hobbies." Olyvar explained. She then remembered Harry's words telling her how some of the parents were unhappy with the way Petyr was handling the team. _'He's not going to like this.'_ Although that was actually the least of her problems right now, how would the team take this?

"So what do we do about Harry?" Petyr asked, "he is the captain, he should have said something. It's his responsability"

"He at least tried to do something about it." Sansa tried to justify.

"You're right Petyr, but I understand why Harry decided to keep us in the dark, even if it was wrong. He and Ryan have always been close." Petyr snorted at the words of the blond boy. "Perfect, a leader who makes exceptions for his friends. He should have reported directly to us if he had any kind of suspicion."

"He was protecting him. He and Ryan are practically brothers since Harry's father died. Put yourself in his shoes, suppose you report your brother for drug possession. It's not fun."

Petyr rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He was slowly falling into Morpheus' arms thanks to Sansa's warmth and the wine's effect. Sansa rested her head on his shoulder breathing him in. "I understand where you're going with this, Olyvar, but that doesn't mean what he did was right."

"It wasn't right, but I don't think we should take it into account now. Let's give him another chance, showing him we still trust him, and besides, he's only seventeen, he's a kid."

"What do you think Sansa? You're very quiet." Sansa opened her eyelids and blinked quickly. She had been falling asleep little by little listening to them talk and the fact that she was very comfortable lying next to Petyr did not help.

"Give him another chance." She said eventually remembering Harry's excitement when they were putting away the basketballs. "Other than this incident, he's always been a model player. He's always the first to get to practice and the last to leave. In my opinion, if we consider his good attitude Harry deserves to stay."

Petyr sighed next to her and dipped his head laying a kiss on top of her head, "you've heard her." Sansa smiled at his words, even if he had said them a little grudgingly.

"So we'll talk to Ryan tomorrow then?" Olyvar said, rising from his chair and stretching his limbs. "Yes, tomorrow." Petyr confirmed.

A few minutes passed before Olyvar said goodbye and left Petyr's house, claiming he was in perfect condition to drive. "For the love of the gods Petyr, it was just one glass, relax! Sansa, tell him to save his fatherly side for your future children."

"Petyr, do you want to have children?" She asked him once when they were in bed long after Olyvar had left. She had never thought about it, to be honest. She had always wanted to finish her studies before she could consider having a stable and serious relationship, but the fact that she had already found it (although she and Petyr had only been dating for three months) made a difference? 

Petyr was silent for a few moments before turning to her, "do you?" 

"I don't know. I've always thought that when I'd grew up I'd know, but now I'm as clueless as I was before. I wasn't planning on thinking about it before I finished my degree." She declared. Petyr nodded tucking an auburn strand of hair behind her ear.

"The truth is, I've never given it much thought, but I'm not against it. I've never had a family, well, I did have a family, but I don't remember much about it. I wouldn't mind forming my own with the right person in the future. As long as she's okay with it." Sansa smiled coyly under the weight of his words, but her expression changed immediately.

"What's wrong?" He asked craddlling her cheek, "Was it something I said?" They were so close that she was certain she could hear their hearts beating in unison. Petyr's eyes scanned her face. Sansa shook her head. "No," she said weakly. Petyr furrowed his brow not convinced by her tone. "It's just that when the time comes I'm not sure if I want to... I want to be a mother."

"Oh sweetling." His thumb traced her cheekbone affectionately. "If the time comes and you don't feel prepared, maybe it's because it's not the right time." Petyr stretched his neck, kissing her on the forehead. Sansa responded by cuddling closer to him, curling up in his frame as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Petyr's chest rose as he took a deep breath, " and if for some mysterious reason we continue together to ask ourselves this same question in other conditions in the future-"

"Is that a promise Mr. Baelish? You're not gonna leave me for someone prettier and younger than me?" She teased trying to take the conversation somewhere more light-hearted, although there was a lump in her throat, which she had no intention of acknowledging. She knew that Petyr was much older than she was and he might find this issue much more pressing than it might seem to her.

Petyr chuckled, "No sweetling, it's a certainty that whatever happens, I'll always want to be with you. I don't know what will happen in the future, but what I'm sure of now is that what matters most to me in this world is right in front of me."

The tone of his voice made her raise her head. She had never seen him in such a vulnerable state as he was now, not even when he told her about what happened in Riverrun when he was little. It was hard to believe that those grey eyes full of doubts would have shone with confidence this morning less than twenty-four hours ago. Something told her this was as new to her as it was to him.

"And anyway, if there's one of us who wouldn't have any problem leaving the other, it would be you sweetling. You could have anyone."

"No." She answered kissing the palm of his hand. "Don't say that Petyr, I want you and you know it. You'll have to deal with me."

"Oh, my Sansa." He said pulling her close and started smothering her face with kisses, her forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose, both of her cheeks until he reached her mouth. "My sweet Sansa, I'm stuck with you, aren't I?"

"Whether you like it or not." She answered by bringing his lips against her own once again.

"Then I'm the luckiest man in the world." Sansa giggled, infected by his enthusiasm and buried her head in the hollow of his shoulder.

"Petyr." She called him with a yawn.

"Yes my love?"

"Shut up and let me sleep, I'm tired. If you keep talking like that, I'll have no choice but to marry you."

"Talking about children and marriage in the same conversation Sansa? I thought you were the one complaining that maybe we were going too fast." Sansa chuckled against his neck. "You're exasperating! One word more and you're sleeping on the couch." She warned him nuzzling her face in the crook of his shoulder. _'Three months together and you're already talking like a married couple.'_ Sansa ignored that thought and closed her eyes, focusing on the heat from Petyr's body.

Petyr sat up lightly, trying to bother Sansa as little as possible and covered them up to the chin with the duvet making sure they wouldn't be cold during the night.

A few minutes passed before sleep caught up with them, both of them tangled in each other. His hug felt like home and she knew that somehow, she was the most similar thing he had as a family. Could he be the same for her? A little voice inside her head told her that in a way, he already was.

_________________

 

Ryan didn't take the news of his expulsion well, which wasn't a surprise. Petyr watched as the red and angry player left his office threatening to tell his father about it. Petyr didn't get upset, there were very few things that would intimidate him, and the tantrum of a seventeen-year-old boy was not one of them.

To Harry's credit, he took his warning words pretty well. He was aware of the mistake he had made with Ryan and had thanked him for the second chance he had been given. _'Sansa's right, the boy is much more humble than I thought.'_

And there she was, sitting on the bench making sure everything was in order. It was enough to think about her for a second to fall in love all over again. Today she had decided to go with a simple white blouse with a tight waist and dark slacks that were screaming for him to take them off, every time she turned around. 

And then she smiled at him when she found that he was watching her and his world took on another color. How could he love her more each day than the last? She was the most wonderful being he had ever seen and he could not help but feel a wave of pride surge from his chest as he remembered her words, telling him that she wanted to be with him regardless of what happened.

"Coach, the ball!" Petyr turned quickly and caught the ball in the air that was about to hit his head if it weren't for Lance's scream. Sansa snickered at his reaction and he couldn't help but chide her with his eyes, even though he knew it would only make things worse for him. He could take it, after all she was the only person he'd be a fool for.

Petyr's gaze turned to the opposite bench where he saw a familiar face. Davos was talking to the coach at Dragonstone like they were old friends. He didn't know what it was but there was something unnerving about the rival coach's gaze. Sansa had risen from the bench and was approaching him when Davos' eyes found his. The older man smiled  and went towards him, followed by the rival coach. 

"Well, well, well, well. This is going to be an interesting game. Petyr Baelish meet Stannis Baratheon". He offered his right hand and felt Stannis accept it by shaking it tighter than usual. Petyr faked a cordial smile and addressed Davos.

"What a surprise to see you here Davos, tell me, did you come because you miss me or because you want to see how a real team plays?" Petyr joked. Davos laughed out loud as Stannis continued to quietly evaluate him with his cold eyes."Stannis told me he was coming and I had to see if it was true with my own eyes. Both teams are undefeated, aren't you?" Petyr and Sansa nodded at the same time.

"This game is promising then." He said rubbing his hands, "best of luck to you both." He finished by slapping both of them on the back and retired to sit in the stands. The gym was almost full, filled with people in the red and gray metallic colors from the high school jersey.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Stannis, now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to my bench." Stannis nodded and surprisingly opened his mouth for the first time during the whole conversation, "Good luck, you're going to need it." Petyr maintained his composure even though he could not understand the tone of arrogance in Stannis' words. He gave him a smile very much like the ones he wore every time he had to deal with Tywin and turned around.

"Who does he think he is?" Sansa said indignantly once they reached the local bench. "Did you see how he looked down on us like we were nothing but insignificant insects? Does he think he's invincible or something?"Petyr smirked at her words, _' she was so cute riled up.'_

"He's got a strong desire to win and little to play the game."

"You don't look worried." She noted. Petyr chuckled, "I'm a good actor." Sansa raised her eyebrows, _'What I wouldn't give to kiss her here and now in front of everyone, to hell with decency!'_

Olyvar headed quickly towards them. "Are you ready?" As in cue, the referee signaled there was a minute left before the start of the game. The players went to their respective benches waiting for their coaches' instructions.

Petyr crouched behind the bench to get his clipboard and moved around to give the final instructions to his players.The stands were roaring next to them creating an overwhelming atmosphere around them. Petyr blinked slowly taking in the faces of each and every one of his players. They were ready, the hunger in their eyes was proof of that but, would it be enough?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 23! 
> 
> I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing the fluffy parts lol. This chapter got out of hand so I had to split the part of the game. This chapter introduced us to Stannis and his team, what do you think about them? What about Ryan? Would his departure affect the way they play? Olyvar got to be a third-wheel in this chapter once again but hey, he doesn't mind as long as he gets free drinks (I'm jk) 
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	24. How bad do you want it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game begins

He could hear his blood pumping through his veins. Petyr stood up from the bench taking his place at the sidelines. The main referee approached him to wish him good luck but he didn’t hear him. His body was on autopilot. How could he be this nervous? They were going to play for the first place in their group, nothing more; it was technically a normal game.

He crossed his arms taking a deep breath. _‘It’s never a normal game, is it?’_ He thought directing his gaze towards Stannis. _‘What is he up to?’_ The rival coach was a total mystery but like everyone else who had confronted him, he had underestimated him. However he knew his surname, _‘Baratheon.’_ He’d had to be living under a rock to not know it.

He knew Robert and Renly had a brother but Stannis wasn’t exactly the kind of person he expected to be related to the Baratheon’s brothers. His demeanor was so different to Renly or Robert’s, would he be as impulsive? Something told him that he wouldn’t be so careless. The winning record of his team didn’t reflect it.

The game was about to start. Jake stood in the middle of the court facing the Dragonstone’s center ready to jump for the ball as soon as the referee threw it in the air. Without Ryan in the team, the next player to take his place as starting a center was him. However, he’d had to change him eventually and that’d be a problem.

The ball went up, the players tensed, his breath hitched and suddenly he was no longer underwater. Jake jumped high but the other player was faster and patted the ball. After a few moments of doubt, the ball ended up in the hands of the opposing point guard. The players retreated quickly in search of their defensive pairs but it was too late, the point guard had found one of his teammates wide open and the ball flew towards him. It was a quick, effective move. Arrive and shoot. They had no choice but to watch the ball go in. The three-point shot opened the scoreboard and the Dragonstone’s bench stood up in celebration.

 _‘No no no, this doesn’t mean anything.’_ They might have struck first but the game had just begun. Petyr urged them to resume the game from the sideline as soon as the ball bounced on the floor.

Marcus dribbled across the court as fast as he could, however he had to stop his pace once the rival’s defense jumped on him. The last thing they needed was to carelessly lose the ball. The Dragonstone’s team was playing a man-to-man defense just like them. Petyr’s reasons were simple, he didn’t want Dragonstone to feel comfortable shooting threes, which was ironic considering their first basket was precisely one of those. Murphy may have been right, but his laws applied to everyone and his team wasn’t done playing. Not even close.

_____________________

 

Sansa’s feet tapped relentlessly against wooden floor. When was the last time she witnessed such a tight game? Even her last game against Dorne couldn't compare with the intense atmosphere that enveloped them here and now. The scoreboard wobbled for and against both teams, each of them giving as good as they got. Any action, any mistake made by one of the teams was a new opportunity that neither of them was willing to waste.

“Things would be better if Harry didn’t have his defender stuck with him as a bubble-gum.” Olyvar observed besides her.

Sansa nodded. “It looks like they’ve done their homework.” It wasn't hard to see from the games’ statistics who was the leading player in King's Landing. At that moment Harry received the ball in the wing and faked going to the baseline, his defender fell for it but his arm hit him before he could drive towards the rim. The referee stopped the game, signaling foul from the Dragonstone’s player. Sansa smirked when she saw how Harry rolled his eyes in frustration, mouthing something similar to, ‘ _about damn time.’_ She honestly couldn’t agree more with him.

Dragonstone wasn't a bad team, but their defense was always bordering the limit between the legal and the illegal contact. "Not now but, how come we're already in bonus and they're not? It looks like they're the ones who are making the most fouls and not us.” It had been just four minutes since the beginning of the second quarter and King's Landing had already committed five team fouls, Dragonstone will throw twice from the free throw line from now on, for every new foul made by Petyr’s team.

_‘You know what decides the outcome of close games, don't you? Three pointers and free throws.’_

His father's words echoed in her head before she heard Olyvar's thoughts. “It’s because they’re more intense in defense. They’re constantly moving, being aggressive towards the ball and it’s difficult for the referee to make the calls.”

“But, it’s still not fair”

“It’s not. It’s like they've raised the threshold of what defines a foul and we got to keep up if we want to be in the game.” Olyvar tensed on his seat and grabbed her arm in alert, “Marcus!”

Marcus had stolen the ball from the rival point guard’s hands and was driving like lightning across the court. Dragonstone’s players rushed back but no one saw how Harry sprinted next to the sideline, none of the defenders saw how he jumped when Marcus released the ball from his hands, but everyone stood in awe watching as he grabbed the ball in mid air and dunked it in the basket, almost flying over a clueless rival player.

The local bench jumped from their seats in exaltation. “The poster!” she heard Lance yelled besides her. Harry high fived Marcus before Dragonstone resumed the game and went back to find his defensive pair, with the corners of his mouth slightly lifted up. They were still behind in the scoreboard but their spirits were higher than before, if they had a chance to turn around the game in their favor it was now.

Sansa gazed across the court and saw how the rival’s coach hadn’t only stood up from his seat, but he was also yelling instructions angrily to his players from the sidelines. Well, he was practically inside the court as if he was just another player. _‘He’s mad.’_ It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out why. His flushed face, the sweat reflecting on his brow with the artificial light and the pronounced vein on his forehead gave him a menacing look, capable of making anyone who got in front of him tremble.

The Dragonstone players didn't slow down and as if driven by their coach's rage, they picked up the pace. After circulating the ball fast across the court, one of their players managed to throw a jump shot completely alone. The ball hit the basket’s iron but the two meter tall Dragonstone’s center caught the offensive rebound and scored and easy basket against the basket’s board.

“Lance!” called Petyr, “you’re going out for Jake. If he doesn’t want to box out you’ll do it.” He said it in a neutral tone but the hidden message was clear. Things wouldn’t work out if Dragonstone kept getting all the offensive rebounds.

Lance entered the court motioning towards the King’s Landing starting center. The difference in height between one center and the other was noticeable but Jake only needed to rest a little bit. A couple of minutes more and they would reach the half time.

Marcus crossed the half court line as fast as he could and stopped, lifting his head to see if there was any of his teammates open. His defender kept pressuring him, not even letting him a second to think and indicate the play. Harry approached him and Marcus handed-off the ball to him. Harry struggled for a moment dealing with his defender, standing almost on his toes to keep the rival player from reaching the ball.

He dribbled hard to the rim pushing against his defender and stopped abruptly dribbling the ball between his legs. There was a momentary pause in his stance, a fleeting second in which Lance cut through the paint through the defense. Harry saw him and passed him the ball with a flick of his wrists.

“Come on Lance!” Shouted Jake.

But an enemy hand came between the path of the ball and the basket. The opposing team's imposing number four rose above Lance, dismissing the home team's last attack as if it were a volleyball game and Lance had just tossed the ball perfectly for him.

 _‘Ouch.’_ She thought, _‘that hurts.’_ The scoreboard horn sounded signaling the end of the second quarter and the players retired to their locker rooms. Olyvar gave a pat on Lance’s back when he passed him and went over next to Petyr.

For the first time in the game she looked at Petyr's face. He was serious, mulling something in his head while he waited for the players to be quiet. They were losing by six points, 28-34. They still had another twenty minutes to turn the game around, but the great burden they had with the fouls was going to be a serious problem.

Petyr caught her eyes for a fleeting second before clearing his voice attracting everyone’s attention. The room fell silent and only then, Petyr started talking.

_____________________  

The players waited with their heads down for his speech to begin. Little did they know that that was exactly the last thing he intended. If they expected a motivational speech like the ones in the movies, they were very wrong. Or that's what he thought.  

“If you think I’m going to give up on you only because is the first time we’re losing you’re totally mistaken. If you think the game is over only because they’re six points ahead, then you’ve never played basketball in your life.”

Most of the kids kept looking down but some of them started to lift up their heads towards him. There was something in there still. The fire in their eyes hadn’t withered.

“The only thing I know right now, is that those guys,” he said pointing a finger towards the door, “entered our gym thinking their job was done long before the game had even started. And now they’re scared because things aren’t going their way, because believe it or not, they’re not!”

“So gentlemen this game is up to you and believe me when I say this is the best game you’ve played so far, everyone of you. We can’t stop playing only because we’re three baskets behind. So chin up! Square your shoulders. We aren't done yet.” Olyvar nodded and stepped into the center of the room, the players stood up gathering around the blond coach. “You know, coach B maybe old for this but he’s right.” He commented trying to lighten the conversation.

Petyr ignored the general chuckle focusing on the new presence beside him. Sansa nudged him on the shoulder before joining her hand with the rest of team. “One, two, three!”

 _'Yeah, too old. That's probably why I was able to give that kind of speech._ ' He had always hated them when he was younger, thinking that a few words alone couldn't change the facts. But it was the truth in his players' eyes that made him question his old belief. Maybe it was the way he had spoken, or the several years he had spent masking his true emotions but he could have sworn he had just saw how a small switch flicked inside their minds.

“King’s Landing!” The players started clapping while they went back to the court. Olyvar followed them but Sansa stood by his side waiting, until they were completely alone. Petyr grabbed her from the waist, pulling her immediately close until their lips met once again in their familiar dance. Her hands were on his hair tousling it up but he didn’t care. Let the world see that he was hers and he wasn’t afraid to hide it.

It took a few seconds before Sansa acted as the voice of reason ending their kiss. “Don’t pout at me Petyr. I can’t take you seriously if you look at me like that.”

Petyr groaned into her neck, earning a few giggles from her before he pulled away. She cupped his cheek delicately, tracing his peppered stubble. Sapphire blue linked with grey green and he could see it then, her pride for him, the tenderness in her gaze, the desire to be with him and the frustration because she knew they had to go back.

“We shouldn’t have done that.” She said, “Look at the state of your hair.” Sansa raised her hand styling his short hair the best way she could. “Is your fault for looking so sexy when you’re in total coach mode.”

Petyr raised his eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes.” She replied kissing his greying temple. “We should go back, there’s still a game to play.” Petyr turned her around, returning her kiss as his arms intertwined on her abdomen. She fitted so perfectly in his embrace, so right. Sometimes he even wondered if everything that had happened the last three months had been real. Did he really deserve her? Was he worthy? After everything he’s gone through, could he be happy?

“What do you think about the game? What’s your opinion?” He asked her nuzzling his cheek in the hollow of her neck.

“There’s still time. If they keep up, we may even have a chance. We have to get those rebounds though.” Petyr chuckled. _‘Those damn rebounds indeed.’_

“And the threes.”

“And the threes” She agreed.

“I’m thinking we should change our defense, we’ve been practicing it for this game after all.”

“That’s funny.” She said turning around, smirk in place. _'I'm a bad influence for her.'_

“Why?”

“Because I was thinking the same thing.” She shrugged innocently before leaning in to press a sweet kiss on his cheek. He turned around just in time to see the tail of her braid disappear through the door. Petyr looked in the mirror and quickly adjusted his tie. He was definitely a bad influence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 24!
> 
> The basketball narrative was quiet tricky to get right in this chapter, so if there's something you don't understand or you think I something that doesn't make any sense I'd really appreciate if you'd tell me. If you want, of course. I'm already working in the next chapter so it won't be long until I update again. So, if you were wondering, yeah, Marcus and Harry are practically playing the whole game lol, they rest from time to time but yeah... (I don't want to introduce more characters, is that something wrong? aaaaaaaah I already have plans for another one)


	25. Go big

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second half of the game

They needed to break the game, speed up the tempo somehow. Sansa took the clipboard from his hand and walked towards the bench. They had agreed that the best way to do it was to change their current defense and she was going to be the one in charge to explain it to the boys.

The players gathered around her while she explained in the board the positions for a 1-3-1 defense. The Dragonstone’s team may be taller and stronger but they were faster, they only needed a chance to cause some confusion in their offense to steal the ball and run.

“Read the passing lanes and try to anticipate. When it’s time to trap the ball do it aggressively, we want them to make mistakes. Remember to talk! Harry is going to need a lot of help because he’s going to be running through baseline all the time to trap the ball in the corners.”

“If this goes well, the other team will most likely ask for a time out, otherwise we’ll continue with this and remember that, if you need a sub don’t be afraid to ask for it.”

“Come on guys!” Yelled Olyvar from the bench once the players went back to the court. Petyr sat down next to Sansa. He saw the way her eyes flickered towards him and how her body leant in his direction.

“Good job sweetling.” He whispered into her ear. Sansa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “I hate you, you know.”

“Why?” He asked completely amused at the sight of her flushed face.

“I was so nervous Petyr, I didn’t even know how they understood half of the things I said.” She confessed. “Why did you think this was a good idea?”

“Because I knew you’ll do it great.” Sansa looked at him then, her eyebrows rising incredulously, _‘are you serious?’_ He’d never been more serious in his life. Sansa shook her face and returned her gaze to the court. The pink was still present on her cheeks and Petyr couldn’t help to widen his legs a little bit, pressing his left leg with hers. “Stop.” She demanded under her breath, but she didn’t pull away, so he didn’t.

He didn’t know what he was most content for, if by the fact that Sansa was right and Stannis had to call or a time out barely three minutes into the game, or by the fact that she was glowing, completely elated after witnessing how her words had really made a difference.

He hadn’t given her the reins only because he knew she was totally capable of dealing with this kind of situations, or because he wanted her to trust in herself a little more. He knew the boys would listen to her. They might even have paid more attention to her than when he was the one explaining it. At least that’s what he would have done if he had been in their shoes.

“Okay, great job guys.” He praised, while they took their places in the bench, ready to listen to his instructions. He was sure Stannis would tell his team to change their offense to adjust to their weird zone defense. Luckily, he could work with that.

“For the following defenses, we're going back to man-to-man, understood? Only for the next two. Don’t lose your head now, okay? We’re right there guys. Marcus, if you decide to play a pick & roll with Lance look for the corners too for the wide-open shot. We want to force them to do long helps, so we can move without the ball better and find new spaces, okay?”

“Yes coach!”

“How can you talk so much in so little time?” Sansa asked him once they returned to the bench. Petyr gave her his board before fishing in his pocket for his mints. Sansa eyed him curiously and he could swear her eyes had darkened a little bit when he put the flavored sweet in his mouth.

“I know exactly what I want to say, that’s the trick.” He drawled before offering her some mints. He knew he was being a bit cruel looking the way her eyes averted to his lips, there was only one mint she wanted right now and it wasn’t one in the little box in front of her.

“Thanks Petyr!” Said Olyvar taking a mint from the box in front of Sansa. Sansa covered her mouth hiding a small giggle while he refrained himself from rolling his eyes at the blonde coach.

“You’re welcome.” He muttered begrudgingly after putting the box inside his pocket. Sansa laid her small hand on his knee giving him a little squeeze. A small grin appeared on his face appreciating the small gesture, even after feeling a bit disappointed when she retired her hand.

The game resumed and Petyr saw from his seat how the Dragonstone point guard crossed the half court guarded closely by Marcus. He must have been right in his assumption because Stannis couldn’t stop yelling instructions from his part of the sideline.

Petyr stood up then. The stands had been roaring euphorically since they realized they actually had a chance of winning the game. _‘How convenient.’_ It was actually the least problem on his mind right now, but he couldn’t ignore how ironic the situation was. They only cheered when they were winning and not when they were ten points behind.

The next few minutes lasted an eternity. Petyr’s team did everything he told them but they couldn’t get away far enough from the away team. Both teams were showing the reason why they were where they were, fighting for the first place in their group. The only thing that seemed to go against them was time itself. If Dragonstone scored a three pointer, King’s Landing answered with another. If the ball rolled on the ground without an owner, more than four hands would throw themselves at it, just to get the chance to regain the possession once more.

They finished the third quarter only two points ahead. If the last quarter was half as intense as the third had been, he was sure that more than one person in the stands would have to be carried to the hospital's ER after having a heart attack.

Petyr chose not to change the defense, the only different thing was that they would be defending from half-court and not pressing the whole court as they had been doing until now. The rebounds were key, getting late in defense wasn’t an option and they knew it.

“Ref that was a foul!” He complained after one of the Dragonstone’s players charged against Marcus to steal him the ball. It wasn’t the first time it had happened and he was tired of seeing the way the rival team treated his players and got away with it. The referee approached him while the Dragonstone’s center shot from the free throw line after receiving a foul from Jake. _‘Well, apparently they know how to use their whistle’_

“Calm down coach, I won’t say it again.” He warned.

“I know you're not infallible, but if one of my players ends up injured because you and your partner didn’t know how to do their jobs, it’s on you and believe me I won’t be so calm then.” And by the gods he meant every word. It would be so easy to call his lawyers… Petyr discarded that thought as soon as it popped up in his mind.

The referee stood unaffected in front of him repeating the same mantra he had been telling him the whole game. ‘ _I’ll calm down whenever I want_.’ He thought irritated. _‘You only have one job, do it right!’_  

At that moment Dragonstone stole a passing lane and one of his players ran to the basket until Harry managed to stop him. The referee whistled raising both hands in the air, his left hand grabbing his right hand's wrist. Petyr eyes widened, “unsportsmanlike foul!”

“You have to be kidding me.”

“He pushed him with his hips and he was the last defender.” He knew that he was right. Why did he have to be right this time? Petyr threaded his fingers through his hair. _‘This couldn’t be happening.’_

Luckily, this was Harry’s first foul. He knew this was the last thing the boy wanted but he must have known what he was doing. Their luck had not been able to choose another worse time to change.

“It’s fine Harry don’t think too much about it.” He assured him while they waited for the Dragonstone’s player to shoot his free throws. The last thing he wanted was to lose his best player’s focus on the game. “Tell them we’re in 1-3-1 in the whole court again, okay?” Harry nodded and returned quickly to the court.

They were four points behind with only three minutes left on the scoreboard’s clock. ‘ _There’s still time’_ He repeated himself, but the time passed and things stayed the same. They were always one step behind, always rowing against the current.

Two minutes. One minute.

Jake recovered the ball and quickly passed it to Harry. The local guard flew across the court with a couple of dribbles, avoiding the oppositions’ defense as deftly as he could. He was going to the rim with everything he had. The referee blew his whistle at the same time Harry did a lay-up, despite the arm that slapped him on the face in mid-air.

A cry of pain could be heard across the gym while Harry’s body landed on the floor right at his defender’s feet. But the ball was still alive, and they stood watching it go into the basket after a few seconds of holding their breath. “And one!” The referee announced.

The stands jumped in celebration but Harry wasn’t getting up. Petyr was about to enter the court when he felt Sansa’s hand on his arm holding it tight. There was worry written in her eyes.

 

_‘No’_

 

For a moment he imagined a long redheaded mane instead of the short blonde lying on the floor. It couldn't be happening again. But thank the gods Harry did move. His teammates ran to pick him up from the ground and he was able to stand up on his own feet. Sansa let out a long exhale and Olyvar rubbed his hands over his face calming himself. The crowd started clapping when he positioned himself on the free throw line ready to shoot. The shot went in, adding itself to the scoreboard.

 

66-68

 

There were thirty seconds left, enough time for two more possessions. They needed to get the ball and fast. “Zero!” He yelled. “Zero!” Zero meant foul, they had to make one to recover the ball. They were already in bonus so that meant that the rival team would shoot two free throws if they committed any foul, but on the other hand they’d had more time to do another offense.

Marcus charged for the ball as soon as he heard Petyr’s instructions. The referee stopped the game and the Dragonstone’s point guard went to the free throw line. The first free throw went in.

 

66-69

 

The rival player dribbled the ball a couple of times while the crowd yelled and booed trying to distract him. He flexed his knees and extended his body throwing the ball. The shot hit on the iron’s basket and four pairs of hands threw themselves for it. Jake rose above everyone and managed to get the ball in the air.

Marcus received the ball and rushed to the basket, he stopped three meters away from the rim when one of the Dragonstone’s players caught up with him, but in that moment Lance came running through the middle of the court and Marcus directed his pass to him.

 

68-69

 

Ten seconds. Ten seconds to recover the ball and score. He was about to ask for a time out when the game resumed again. “Zero!” He yelled. If they did it fast, he could ask again for a time out and plan their next action, they only needed the ball.

Dragonstone wouldn’t give up that easy though.

Seven seconds. Six. Five. The Dragonstone’s players kept passing the ball quickly, losing as much time as they could without letting the King’s Landing players touch it. Four. Three. Two. One.

 

The scoreboard’s horn sounded signaling the end of the game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 25!
> 
> Don't hate me please, I love you too much.
> 
> Tumblr:@quoyan11


	26. Or go home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the game, Sansa and Petyr go home to find a peculiar visitor knocking on their door.

She found him in the locker room several minutes after the players left. She knew today’s defeat wasn’t the end of the world, despite the weary faces and rogue tears she had seen streaming down some of the player’s cheeks. Petyr had told them to be proud of themselves, that the only thing they needed was to keep working hard. Today’s game was just a small setback to qualify for the playoffs, but nothing was lost yet.

He was sitting on one of the benches, his back facing her. He must have heard her footsteps because he turned around as soon as she entered the room. His eyes were the first thing she saw, looking at her with a strange haze.

“Hey.” He muttered. Sansa walked around the bench and sat down next to him. Petyr followed her movements and smiled shyly when she took his hand in hers. “Why did you hide in here?” She asked.

Petyr shrugged, “I don’t know.” He answered exhaling a long breath. His fingers intertwined between hers, covering her small hand almost completely, but it wasn’t enough. She stood up from the bench dragging him up with her. It felt weird to have lost after winning so many games but they had to move forwards, she had already done it but she was sure Petyr was having more trouble than her accepting it. “Come here.”

“I’m fine sweetling.” He assured, but he knew he was lying and so did she. He hated feeling vulnerable around people and despite the closeness they’ve gained these previous months, he was still adapting at being so open with her.

Sansa shook her head, “no you’re not.” She closed the distance wrapping her arms around his neck. Petyr let his hands wander around her waist closing their embrace, holding her close. He laid a kiss on her crown breathing her in. Sansa closed her eyes, “you’re not fine and I can’t bare watching you like this.” She confessed resting her head on his chest, her face pressing against the softness of his shirt, _‘He always smells so good.’_

“I was just wondering what would have happened if we had one more minute to play, one more minute to turn the game around. ” His voice was raspy as a result from all the yelling he had done during the game.

“Would it have made a difference?” She asked, knowing perfectly the answer.

“I don’t know, I guess it would have.” He raised her head lightly from his chest and cradled her cheek. “I’m fine sweetling, it’s just that I can’t take their faces off my mind. It’s the first time I’ve seen them like this and I just realized they’re just kids, despite being taller and stronger than me.” Sansa giggled at his words. _‘He’s such a sentimental, but he won’t admit it.’_

“They’ll get over it, we still have another game against Dragonstone and we only need to win them by more than one point so,” Sansa shrugged her shoulders, “it’s not so bad.”

“No it’s not.” He agreed, “How’s Harry? Olyvar told me he was bleeding from his nose when the game ended.”

“He’s fine, Olyvar overreacted a little bit. He even took out his first aid kit to stop the bleeding.” Petyr chuckled.

“Yeah, I can imagine.”

“It was kind of funny to be honest. You could have watched it if you weren’t here alone, feeling sorry for yourself.”

“Hey!” he chided. Sansa broke out of his embrace and walked towards the locker room door. She gave him a smirk over her shoulder, “stop whining and come with me.”

“I’m not whining.” He muttered before following her out. The gym lights were completely off, leaving only the faint glow from the emergency lights invading the big space. He yanked her arm when he caught up with her, bringing her to him. Sansa giggled when she felt his lips descend towards hers, kissing her deeply. His fingers weaved through her hair clumsily, trying to untie her braid to let her auburn tresses free and loose. She gripped his tie pulling him closer until he was completely over her and her back hit the wall, letting her something she could lean on in case her legs didn’t endure Petyr’s attack.

“Wait, I think I’ve heard something.” She said nervously while Petyr trailed kisses along her neck. It had been a light slam, like a door does when it closes.

“It’s probably the janitor closing the school, forget it.” He stopped his ministrations for a second and took out the small office keys out of his pocket. Sansa was about to complain when his lips crashed on her mouth, drinking her mewls while he deftly worked her into a frenzy. She didn’t know how or when but the next thing she remembered was being hoisted up onto the desk, her legs around his waist while he pressed his body against her and kept sucking at her neck. _‘At least he had the decency to close the door.’_

She drew his face for another kiss while her free hand tugged at his belt, “I need you now.” Petyr chuckled before kissing her passionately. The need between her hips was increasing and the incessant rubbing and grinding they were doing with their bodies wasn’t going to leave her satisfied.

Sansa’s slender hands managed to unbuckle him, leaving him only with his boxers while his slacks pulled around his ankles. Petyr grabbed her hand and pressed it on his bulge. “Say you want me,” he demanded between gasps. Sansa smirked.

She slid her hand between the fabric, feeling how hard he was beneath her fingers. “I want you.” She whispered into his ear. “I always want you.”

He groaned into her neck before pushing into her. It was fast, the euphoria of the game and the risk of being found out, for slight that it was, fueled them to find completion in each other.

“Sansa!” He called after setting her on a high, their chests heaving, searching for air. She cupped his face afterwards, kissing him sweetly as he hummed into her mouth in pure post-orgasmic delight. He smiled at her then, truly smiled. His bright dazed eyes glowed in the faint light and oh boy, how she wanted to drown in them forever.

They finally managed to leave the gym after a while, giggling like little kids about the mischiefs they had just done. A cold wind breeze welcomed them once they reached the parking lot, announcing through the constant snowstorm that winter had certainly arrived.

He turned on the car heater as soon as they entered his black Audi and Sansa appreciated very much the fact that he gave her his coat when he saw she couldn’t stop shivering. She put his coat (the coat she had given him a few days ago) over her as if it were a blanket and smiled shyly when she saw Petyr staring at her. “What?”

“You don’t know how cute you look right now, do you sweetling?” He leant forwards looking at her lips, “so utterly kissable.” Sansa giggled and pressed her index finger on his lips, “stop!”

“We need to get home first Petyr, I don’t think I can handle another round with this cold.” He kissed her finger and nibble at it playfully sending a shiver down her body. _‘How can he look so sexy?’_ This man was going to be the death of her.

“I thought you were a girl of the north,” he countered with a thick accent. He started the car and drove out of the parking lot into the road.

Sansa rolled her eyes, “I've got used to the good life of the Mediterranean climate. I can’t do anything about it now.”

His eyes glinted mischievously, “I’ll have to keep you warm then.”

_‘You better.’_

___________________  
_

 

Neither of them was ready to go to sleep, no matter what time it was and the fact that they had agreed to wake up early the next day to run. At quarter to twelve at night they snuggled up together on the couch under a blanket and turned on the TV.

“What do you want to watch?” He asked kissing her temple. The snow kept falling relentlessly outside, reminding her that she would soon have to part from Petyr to return to Winterfell for Christmas.

“I don’t know, something I haven’t watched before.” Petyr was actually fine with it. They weren’t ready enough to tell her family the news about their relationship, especially because of Petyr’s history with her mother. She’ll have to tell them eventually, and even though Jon and Robb knew about them, and totally supported them (at least Jon) it wasn’t going to be so easy.

“What about _Alien_? It’s one of my favorites.” She honestly didn’t know how she was going to be so much time apart from him. It was going to be only a week but still, he had become a constant presence in her life in so little time, that she was afraid something might happen.

“ _Alien_? I don’t know why I shouldn’t be surprised.” She wanted things to stay as they were. Margaery had told her she had received a scholarship from Highgarden University and she was going to move back to her house the next semester. They weren’t as close as they were before but she was still going to miss her.

“Why do you say that?” He inquired, his eyes shining with amusement.

“You fit the nerdy type, somehow,” she explained, running her fingers through his hair. Petyr raised his eyebrows daring her to continue. Sansa giggled, “come on, you’re a physics teacher, you work for a university, apart from the fact that you don’t have an annoying roommate you’re basically another _Big Bang theory’s_ character.”

“Believe me, I had an annoying roommate once, I’d prefer Sheldon ten times over.” Sansa giggled at that and huddled closer to him waiting for the movie to begin.

“So, if you’re comparing me to Leonard, who are you? Penny? You know how they ended up, right?” Sansa blushed three shades of red.

“Are you proposing? Is this a recurring topic in our conversations now?” Petyr chuckled, his chest rumbling onto her back. “You were the one who brought it up, sweetling.” He fought back.

“You’ll have to tell my parents first.” Petyr rolled his eyes and dropped the matter, not before complaining about how that wouldn’t matter because he knew she would say yes regardless of what her family thought about it. Sansa didn’t argue because he was right, although they had agreed that it was too soon for committing to something so… definitive? Not that she wanted to be with anyone else, but still.

“I’m your girl Petyr.” She stated, pecking him on the lips. He rested his forehead against hers, nuzzling his nose like an Eskimo would have done. She turned around then, watching how the beginning of the movie played on the TV while Petyr’s arms snaked around her, pulling her close.

“My sweet girl.” He purred minutes later, stirring something in her belly. “My love.” And she heard it then, the emotions dripping from his words as the smile he had given her in the gym. His grey greens bore into her and the movie was forgotten. It didn’t matter that the ship crewmembers were gradually diminishing in number throughout the course of the movie. It didn’t matter that it all came down to Ripley facing the terrifying alien for the future of humanity. Sansa finished the movie as clueless as she was before playing it on the TV.

Petyr’s warmth was slowly lulling her to sleep when she heard it, a light scratching coming from the front door. At first she thought she had imagined it, but she heard it a couple of times again and she started to worry. Was someone trying to break into the house?

“Petyr…Petyr!” She said in a loud whisper, squeezing his arm to wake him up.

“What’s wrong?” He asked alarmed after hearing the tone of her voice. Petyr rose from the bed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

“There’s someone outside the door”

“What?”

“I swear I’ve heard someone scratching the door from the outside, right now.” And then she heard it again and sighed in relief when she saw that Petyr had heard it too. They both stood up and moved towards the door. Petyr stopped her, putting his index finger on his mouth.

“There’s no one outside,” he whispered after looking through the peephole, but then there was the noise again, coming loud and clear through the bottom of the door. Petyr’s hand was on the door and before she could stop him, he opened it. The chill of the night invaded the room making her shroud the blanket around her tighter.

Petyr crouched down, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, completely unfaced by the fact that it was freezing outside and he was shirtless. “Hello little guy!” He cooed.

Sansa was about to ask what was going on when he stood up, took a step back inside the house and closed the front door. He turned around holding something in his arms, “Look, this little bugger was trying to break in.”

Sansa’s heart almost melted at the view of Petyr holding a small orange tabby kitten against his chest. The small animal couldn’t stop shivering, no wonder why he was trying so hard to knock down the door (although that would have been impossible under the circumstances)

“Here, put him in the blanket. He must be freezing” The little cat tried to resist, not knowing what was going on around him apart from the fact that he was no longer outside in the freezing cold.

“He likes you.” Petyr observed after the kitten meowed at her when she took him in her arms.

“How do you even know is a _he_ and not a _she_?” She asked petting the small animal on the head. The kitten closed his eyes and nuzzled his little head against her fingers.

Petyr shrugged, “I checked.” Sansa shook her head in disbelief and dropped the matter for later, right now this little guy needed to stop shivering and probably eat something.

Petyr must have been thinking through the same line as her because he immediately went to the kitchen and brought some of the roasted chicken they had for dinner in a small bowl.

Sansa’s grin widened when she saw how the tabby kitten finally opened his mouth, after sniffing thoroughly the piece of chicken Petyr had offered him. After he looked satisfied with his piece of chicken, she let him on the ground and saw how he walked slowly towards the small water bowl Petyr had prepared for him.

“What was he doing out there?” Sansa whispered once the small cat was sound asleep in her arms.

“Maybe he has escaped from somewhere, or wandered too far from his house. I’ll ask the neighbors tomorrow.” He answered sitting on the sofa with a small basket resting on his lap.

“What is that?”

“His new bed. Look, it has an extra towel and everything.”

Sansa nodded and thanked him with a slow kiss on the lips, for everything, for the game, for the amazing day she had with him, because she loved him, because she couldn’t picture her life without him anymore. That night, when they finally went to bed after making sure the small kitten rested peacefully in his new bed besides the heater, she felt finally like home, _their_ home.

“Are we going to give him a name or is he going to be ‘little bugger’ for the rest of his life?”

“Are you implying we can keep him?” Sansa almost squealed when she listened to Petyr assured her they could if no one claimed him after he’ll talk to the neighbors.

“How about… Jonesy?”

“You want to call him like the cat from _Alien_? Are you trying to get us killed?”

“Why not? He survives at the end, right?”

“But every time he appeares on screen, someone dies.”

“I may have missed that little detail,” She admitted.

“Your mind was somewhere else, I’m sure” He joked while he kissed her on the neck, knowing exactly the direction he wanted her mind to go.

“Mmmm… stop Petyr, as much as I want to we have an audience,” her eyes darted towards the small ball of fur purring next to the heater. “Besides, I’m really tired.”

“I can always do all the work, sweetling. I don’t mind.” He offered with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Shut up or I’ll have to replace you with Jonesy”

“I can’t belive you chose that name. We’re doomed.” Sansa giggled and crashed her lips on his.

“Good night Petyr, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 26!
> 
> I hope you like it as much as I did writing it!  
> What are your thoughts on Jonesy and Sansa returning to Winterfell for Christmas?  
> Thanks for reading as always :)
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11
> 
> PS: Can anyone guess who was the annoying roommate Petyr had to live with when he was in college? (Hint: @petyrbaaaeeelish I know you can)


	27. Apricot jam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy moments before christmas

Petyr woke up early the next day. He was used to getting up at early hours of the morning, even before the sun came up, what he wasn’t used to was having a fur ball over his chest meowing for food. The man with grey on his temples opened his weary eyes refraining his first impulse of shoving the cat on top of him.

The kitten walked softly over him, his little paws pressing on his chest, until he came face to face with him and nuzzled his little head with Petyr’s cheek. _‘I need to shave’_ Was the first thought that came into his mind when he listened to the sound of Jonesy’s head rubbing against his untamed two-days stubble.

Petyr chuckled lowly at the kitten’s insistence. He got out of bed then, as silently as he could, taking the little cat in his arms. “You were going to wake up Sansa back there and we don’t want that little bugger, she needs to rest.” Jonesy’s only answer was a soft purring next to his ear, clearly satisfied at how he had handled the situation to get him out of bed.

Petyr watched as the kitten gobbled up the rest of the chicken leftovers from last night's dinner while he was pouring water in the coffee maker. He looked so small and scared when he found him last night. He’d never thought of adopting a pet before and being honest, he would have taken him to a shelter by now if it hadn’t been for Sansa. He didn’t hate animals but he wasn’t the best at taking care of other living being.

Varys had gifted him a plant once when they were roommates in college, completely convinced that even someone like him could maintain a small cactus alive, but he was wrong.

The timid winter sun tiptoed into the room as he prepared the rest of the breakfast. Jonesy had stopped paying attention to his bowl and set about crossing his path meowing every time he had to move around the kitchen. _‘You won't be so happy when we go to the vet.’_

“Come here.” He took the kitten on his lap and saw how he stood up in his back legs trying to see what was on the table. Petyr petted his head motioning him to stay down. “That’s not for you, you don’t want to visit the vet sooner than necessary, do you?”

The small cat gazed innocently at him before meowing louder than before. Petyr rolled his eyes and took the kitten once again in his arms. “Let’s wake up Sansa.” He whispered while his fingers kept running through the kitten’s fur.  

Petyr entered their room, letting a very hyper active Jonesy on the floor before crawling up on the bed to Sansa. Her long fire tresses were spread across her side of the as her arms cuddled his pillow. He lay next to her pressing a kiss on her forehead, “Good morning sweetling.” Another kiss, another, on her cheek, nose, eyelids, cheek again, until her arms wrapped around him and her giggles filled his ears.

“Come on, Jonesy made us breakfast.” A peck on the lips, “it’s time to get up.”

“Five minutes more,” she pleaded. But that wouldn’t do for him. He would get her out of bed one way or another. He kissed her deeply this time, demanding her to reciprocate until he felt her hands moving up and down his sides. He broke the kiss and smirked at the noise of the little whimper she emitted.

“If you don’t get up right now I’ll eat the whole jar of apricot jam you love so much.” Sansa’s eyes widened before kissing him again, “you remembered.”

“Of course, I did.” He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and marveled at the softness of her skin. “You’re always on my mind.”

“And you’re always on mine.” Petyr’s breath hitched at the sound of her words and forgot about breakfast. She would be leaving tomorrow with her brother and he wouldn’t be seeing her in a week, he needed to be with her. Their lips joined once again, and his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. Jonesy must have got out of the room when he noticed that no one was paying any attention to him, at least he hoped so.

Love had failed him once when he was very young. The songs, the stories, the tales of eternal love had never sounded so false and deceitful as the day Brandon Stark had sliced his chest open. But his heart beat at another rhythm now and the way her cheeks blushed when he licked a bit of apricot jam from the corner of her mouth only raced it.

He knew she loved him, they’ve never stopped saying it since the first time those three words slipped out of their mouths and he was sure he would be with her as long as she wanted. Would she feel the same way? He hated to admit it but, despite they didn’t care about it, she was way younger than him.

“What’s on your mind?” She asked him before taking a sip from her mug. Jonesy rested on her lap enjoying the caresses Sansa gave him from time to time. The little animal must be in heaven. He knew that from first hand.

“I was thinking we should take Jonesy to the vet as soon as possible, only as a precaution.” He lied but it was true, he had already booked an appointment with the closest veterinary clinic in his area and whether he liked it or not, the little bugger was going to be around for a long time. It just felt right.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She agreed scratching between the kitten’s ears. A smile tugged on her lips as soon as the animal started purring and Petyr was sure he would melt at the spot. It would be worth it to adopt Jonesy, even if it were only for moments like this where pure joy was written on her face.

It only took them a couple of minutes to get to the clinic. Jonesy resisted at first but when he saw they were going outside he snuggle further in the blanket Sansa was carrying him. They didn’t have any other more practical way to take him because there hadn’t been time to buy a special carrier for him, but he didn’t complain as much as they thought he would.

He’d never known how many things a cat would need and Sansa must have had the same clueless look he had when they entered the pet store, because a shop assistant greeted them immediately asking if he could help them.

They arrived home an hour later from the store with a very tired kitten and two bags full of cat food. They had lunch in the living room while Sansa was reading a book and cuddled with Jonesy on the sofa. Petyr took out his laptop and started answering emails. There was one reminding him of the college Christmas dinner he was supposed to attend tomorrow, _‘Fuck.’_ Sansa was leaving in the morning and the last thing he wanted was to spend the night surrounded by Lannisters.   

He closed the device, setting it on the closest coffee table.

“Everything okay?”

Sansa’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Her half-lidded eyes observed him worriedly, how long had he been working? Petyr stood up and moved around the back of the sofa searching for a place to sit. Sansa scooted next to the edge, letting him slide behind her before she laid her body on him. Jonesy’s ears peaked up, startled because of the small turbulence.

“Did I wake you little bugger? I think we’re even now” He greeted the kitten, petting him on the head. The small animal rewarded him with a low purr despite his inability to understand him.

“Stop being mean.” Sansa warned. Petyr’s smirked widened before he pulled her close and started gifting her kisses on her cheek. “I missed you.” Sansa giggled resting her head on his chest. “We’ve been together the whole day”

“But I wanted to be with you like this, doing other things, all day long.” His hand trailed down, sliding over the fabric of her sweatpants and gave her a little squeeze to her bottom.

Sansa’s eyes glinted playfully, “I see you hadn’t had your fill this morning, how can you be so eager Mr. Baelish? Am I not enough?”

“You’re more than enough sweetling. I want to keep you here for myself and never let you go.” It was Sansa’s turn to kiss him now, sweetly, deeply, until a little fur head interrupted them claiming attention.

“We love you too.” Sansa brought Jonesy into her arms despite Petyr’s sulking expression at being left out, “my little jealous kitten.” Petyr rolled his eyes and huddled closer to her. She looked at him over her shoulder with a knowing expression, “I wasn’t talking about Jonesy, you know?” Petyr grunted in frustration.

“Stop being cute, Petyr”

“No” His arms went around her waist, caressing the softness of her t-shirt. He hid his face at the hollow of her neck, nuzzling his nose against her cheek. The stayed that way for a while, with Jonesy purring next to Sansa curled up in a ball. Christmas would be so much better if she stayed, they could go downtown to watch the Christmas lights adorning the streets or go ice skating.

He even had the intention to take her out to dinner to a fancy restaurant by the sea he knew she would love. Their relationship hadn’t really been the most ordinary because of his job, her studies and all the work it took to plan and coach a basketball team. He wanted to take her on a date like they did with the Golden Cloaks’ game. He had the feeling that some of the players knew they were together, but he couldn’t care less, there weren’t any rules against it, right?

He just wanted to make her happy if she was with him. Their relationship wasn’t what someone could consider ordinary, but it was genuine. He wondered what kind of questions her family would interrogate her with. He knew she could handle any kind of situation, but that didn’t mean it would be easy only because she had done it before.  

“My boys.” She whispered before pressing a kiss on his cheek. He suddenly felt an unstoppable urge to be with her at any cost. He had never been to Winterfell in winter, but he was sure the experience would be worth it. _‘Sansa would get mad though’_

She was here now with him, and he needed to make the most of it. He hadn’t given her his present yet, but he was sure the occasion would arise tonight once the lights were off, and they were cuddled beneath their bed’s duvet after he had worshipped every inch of her body.

Now he would drown in her warmth and let her familiar scent fill him. This was the most domestic scene he had lived since he had use of memory and he couldn’t have felt luckier.

_____________________

 

Robb and Jon were waiting for her in the airport’s terminal. Robb offered his hand in greeting with a stern face, he had seen him before when he had taken Sansa to the hospital after she injured her knee. There was a silent threat in his eyes, but he kept the formalities cordial for Sansa, he knew Robb didn’t approve of their relationship because of the age difference, but he was willing to tolerate it for the sake of his sister.

Jon, on the other hand, gave him a big hug after he had shaken his hand as if they had known each other for ages. Petyr was a little startled in the beginning, but after hearing Sansa’s giggle behind him, he tried to relax. Sansa stood by his side while they waited their turn to embark, her hand never leaving his.

“Why didn’t you come to my concert last night?” Jon asked turning around. Petyr raised an eyebrow at Sansa, _‘a concert?’_

“I’m sorry Jon, my back hurt a lot and I wasn’t in the best condition to go out.” She apologized. “It’s better now, but we preferred to stay home, I promise we’ll go to the next one.” She said with a smile.

“You’re not going to get away that easily, you know I’ll be playing something for Christmas and I’ll make sure you’re the first to listen.” A yawn came out of his mouth as soon as he had finished his sentence.

“You didn’t tell me your back hurt, are you okay?” He asked her once they had a moment alone. Sansa nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m fine, is not that bad. I didn’t want to bother you. It’s probably, you know… That time of the month again.”

Petyr narrowed his eyes, not convinced by her words, “Petyr, don’t worry.” Another peck on his lips, “You’ve done a lot for me but there are some things that I get to keep for myself because no offense, there’s nothing you can do.”

“But I could, you know. I could have done something to relieve you of some pain, like given you an ibuprofen or prepared you a warm bath-”

“You already gave me a massage, remember?” Petyr smirked recalling last night, his eyes landing on her chest, where the silver mockingbird necklace he had given her rested. It was small and elegant, nothing sparkly or flashy and Sansa loved it.

“I did.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, not caring about her brothers’ proximity and the furtive glances Robb kept giving them. “But that bath sounds good, we should try it when you come back.”

“We should.” She agreed smoothing his hair, “you need a haircut.” Petyr chuckled taking her hand from his hair and placing it on his cheek, “and a shave.”

“Your wish is my command my lady” Sansa giggled shaking her head.

“Stop”

“What?”

“Stop being adorable. I’m already going to miss you, don’t make it any harder” He rested his forehead on hers, “I’ll be here, it’s only for a week. I’ll make sure Jonesy is well cared in your absence.”

“Kiss me.” She whispered. His hand on the back of her spine drew her closer until their lips joined. He tilted his head, melting immediately to her kiss. It was slow, as if they tried to remember every movement their mouths did. Her hands were on his shoulders, pressing him to her as his hand got lost in her fiery mane once again. They didn’t try to deepen it, it wasn’t necessary. They already knew how much they were going to miss each other, there were no more words left to say, there was no one else.

Robb’s cough interrupted them to tell them they needed to check in. Petyr pressed a kiss on her forehead breathing her in for one last time. “I’ll call you, okay?”

Sansa nodded, “I’ll call you too.”

Petyr tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear, “I love you Sansa.” Sansa stroked lightly his cheek, his green-greys fixed on her blue.

“I love you Petyr.”

____________________

 

“Well, that was uncomfortable.” Jon told her once they were in the plane.

“What?”

“The way you stared so intensely at each other, it felt like Robb and I were out of place.” Sansa rolled her eyes. “It’s okay, I liked him, he seemed like a nice guy, a bit stiff. I hope he’s not like that when you’re in bed.”

“Jon!”

“Jon, we have a three-hour flight ahead of us, do you really want to start talking about our sister’s sex life? ‘Cause I don’t.” Interceded Robb.

They’d spent the first hour listening to Jon talk about his concert, but Sansa’s head was somewhere else, down below, in a house next to the sea. At least he had Jonesy to keep him company.

“Sansa”

Sansa turned her face from the window to look at her brother. “I’m sorry for being so unfair to you and Petyr. I wanted to apologize.”

“It’s fine Robb, really”

“No, I was a bit of a jerk” He admitted with a shy smile. “Jeyne and I had a big fight and well… I wasn’t the nicest person”

“You’re never nice, if that makes you feel better.” Robb raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m joking Robb.”

“So, are you and Jeyne all right?” Robb looked at his feet a couple of seconds before answering.

“I don’t know, but don’t worry. We’ll sort it out”

“Mom and dad are going to have so much fun with us this Christmas”

“Yeah I can’t wait” Sansa let out a sigh and crossed her arms over Petyr’s navy blue sweater. She had always liked sitting next to the plane’s window to see the landscapes, but the cold seeping through the plane’s walls wasn’t exactly pleasant, and the fact that the sweater still smelt like him wasn’t helping either.

There was a comfortable silence between them until Robb decided to ask the dreaded question, “are you going to tell them?”

Was she? Something inside her head told her that she should come clean. Her mom was not going to like it either way so, why should she care? They didn’t say anything about Joffrey, it would be unfair if they questioned her relationship with Petyr after everything she has gone through.

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. "It's more complicated than you think."

"Is it because he's older? They'll get over it Sansa, don't worry."

_'If only that were the case'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 27!
> 
> So now we have Christmas with the Starks and Petyr alone with Jonesy in King's Landing. Will they be able to withstand a week apart? 
> 
> Thanks for reading as always!!! :)


	28. Always with me

Olyvar sat on the couch while Petyr strolled around the room with his mobile phone on his ear. Sansa's sweet voice seeped through the speaker, and though he was far enough away to not fully understand the words being exchanged, he was able to hear the sugary tone of their conversation.

A little meowing attracted his attention and he discovered the main reason for his visit, rubbing against his shins. The blond boy stroked the redheaded feline's head, watching as the small animal closed its eyes in satisfaction at the attention it received.

"I see you've already become friends." Petyr said as he adjusted his tie in the cupboard reflection.

"When you called me here I never thought I'd come for this, since when do you like cats?" He asked as Jonesy decided to jump on the armchair so he could be petted more easily. Olyvar smiled, "Especially this one, look how cute he is."

"The last time I left him alone I found the sofa cover completely scratched and toilet paper all over the house, so believe me, I wouldn't have called you unless it was really necessary."

Olyvar laughed, "Did you really do all that?" he questioned the little fur ball on his knees. The culprit ignored him and leapt off the armchair and into the kitchen as he heard Petyr refilling his food bowl.

"If there's a problem call me on my phone, I don't think it'll be long before I come back because you know how I hate this kind of events. If Jonesy starts meowing too loud, don't be scared, since Sansa left yesterday he won't stop." His features softened as he stroked the little cat gobbling up his dinner with gusto. He didn't know who missed Sansa the most, the cat or Petyr.

Olyvar snorted, shaking the hairs Jonesy had left behind as he sat on his knees. "Don't worry, I'll take care of Jonesy." Petyr showed him where the rest of the food and the toys they had bought him were, in case he wanted to play with him. He was positive that Jonesy was the most spoiled cat in the neighborhood right now.

"Petyr, don't worry. Can you give me the Wi-Fi password before you go? Don't make that face, I'm sure you know what Wi-Fi is. You're not that old."

“Meow” The little cat's gray eyes watched him closely. At his feet was the toy that Petyr had left him before he stepped through the door.

"You and I are gonna have a great time."

___________________

 

Sansa stretched her legs on her bedroom’s window seat. It had been snowing during the day and it didn’t look as if it was going to stop. It didn’t matter that winter was in full swing, the warmth emanating from Petyr’s words on the phone made her feel as spring had arrived. She knew she must sound very cheesy, but she could be as cheesy as she wanted where her thoughts were concerned.

She heard movement downstairs and assumed it was about time for dinner, had she really been talking to Petyr that long? It was true that yesterday they had barely exchanged a couple of messages because she was tired from the trip, but hours felt like minutes when she was talking to him.

“Jonesy misses you” she heard him say through the speaker, “he barely let me sleep last night. He kept making noise running around the house.”

Sansa chuckled, "Petyr, cats do that. Maybe you're the one who misses me."

“I do sweetling, I really do.” He admitted. “Olyvar is here to take care of him while I go to the Lannister’s Christmas dinner. Hopefully, I’ll come back before they burn down the house.”

Sansa chuckled and told him that despite his worries, it was a good for Jonesy to meet other humans and socialize. “Yeah, I read that too, I think we’re reading the same articles concerning our little bugger’s health.”

“Stop calling him that, you love him, and you know it.”

“I only put up with him because you like him”

“Say what you want, but we both know how wrong you’re.” Sansa heard steps coming towards her room and took a deep breath. “I’m going to have to leave you, it’s been a while since my mom called us for dinner and I’ve ignored her completely.”

“No problem, how is your family treating you, is your back better?” He asked

“Yeah, it keeps bothering me sometimes, I feel better now.” The truth was she felt miserable, but she didn’t want to worry Petyr more than necessary.

“Sansa!” Arya called knocking on her door.

“I got to go now, I’ll talk to you later.” She whispered into the speaker closely watched by her sister’s gaze. Arya furrowed her eyes and made a puking noise as Petyr and Sansa exchanged _I love yous._

“What?”

“You’re very annoying, you know? You’ve been hours on the phone talking to your boyfriend.” She said putting clear emphasis on the last word.

“It wasn’t even a boy Arya,” she chided trying to regain some control, “it was Margaery.”

“Oh, really?” Arya crossed her arms, “Is she okay? It sounded as she had a little bit of a cold. Her voice was different, you know. Manly.”

Sansa covered her face with the pillow resting on her lap, _‘Was she really that easy to read?’_

She sighed before getting up abruptly and throwing the pillow against her little sister.

“So, what if I was talking to a boy?” She admitted after getting to the conclusion that her sister would end up knowing one way or another. Arya stood under the door’s frame blocking her way to the corridor, eyes glowing triumphantly.

“Is he the one you were making out with when I visited you last fall?”

“Arya! Not here.” She warned in a loud whisper.

“Then, where?”

“Just let me through and I’ll tell you after dinner.” She had no intention of telling her anything, but she would let her believe what she wanted to hear to escape this slow torture.

“Who’s going to say anything to anybody?” Their father shouted from the end of the hall. Sansa took advantage of her sister’s distraction and managed to walk past her shoulder. “I was going to wish Margaery merry Christmas after dinner, Arya wanted to say hi.”

She could hear the long snort her sister made after listening to her lie, but she didn’t stay long to wait for her father’s answer, and rushed downstairs to the dinning room where everyone was gathering for dinner.

_______________

 

Petyr finished his second glass of wine with a long drink and prepared to endure the evening. There were few known faces among the multitude of teachers who had gathered in the small restaurant where the magnanimous Tywin had organized the dinner.

Davos kept chatting with the marketing’s head teacher and like the old man’s presence was the only one he was willing to bear, he had no other choice than to stay still as he watched how the guests mingled and chatted with each other.

_‘What a bunch of knobheads’_

Tywin’s boots must be shining bright with so many people gathering around him, waiting for their chance to impress the old lion. On the other hand his dear family seemed to be doing very differently. Jamie and Brienne were chatting friendly on one of the corners of the room while Cersei was failing at her second attempt at drowning herself in wine. Tyrion did his best to keep her sister’s clutches from the Dornish liquid, but all his efforts were in vain.

He espied another blonde head sneaking out of the room followed by a known long chestnut mane. Petyr smirked taking another champagne flute from the first waiter that past by him. Miranda was certainly going to be busy tonight. Unfortunately her tastes didn’t promise the night to be enjoyable for her, after everything Sansa had told him about Joffrey the only thing he wanted to do was to grab the little fucker by his throat, and clench his fingers until his face turned violet blue.

“Excuse me sir” Petyr turned around, surprised to see one of the waiters addressing him. “Is that your first glass of champagne?”

“Yes,” he answered taking a long swig, “and it won’t be the last.”

“I think you should take it easy, mixing wine and champagne can’t be good.” His voice was shy, but his words weren’t. _‘Why did he care if I had one or five more drinks? Who does he think he is?’_

“Looking at tonight's scene,” He said lifting his chin towards the room, “I think I'll take my chances.” He assured taking another drink from his glass. The alcohol burned his throat extricating a grimace from his face.

The waiter gave him a polite smile, “Of course.  apologize, I didn’t mean to offend you in any way-”

“You haven’t, you were doing your job. I should be the one apologizing” He said truthfully to the young man. “You were the first bearable conversation I had all night, so I have to thank you for that.”

  
The young waiter closed his mouth, not knowing exactly how to proceed with the conversation. Petyr didn’t mind, at least he gave him an excuse to stop talking with the rest of the guests that continued walking aimlessly around the room, eager to exchange gossip and show off their airs of superiority.

  
He had already talked to Pycelle and Tyrion a couple of minutes ago, he doubted he could endure another dull conversation about the mating habits of the Bravoosian peacocks in the old man’s care.

  
The black-haired waiter coughed stirring him out of his musings, “I just wanted to congratulate you for the last game your team played. I know you lost at the last moment, but you fought until the end.”

  
Petyr widened his eyes and then he finally looked at the boy next to him. He was taller than him by almost a head despite his obvious youth. A conspicuous bull tattoo peeked from under his shirt collar.

  
“I’m sorry, I’m being rude.” He said offering his hand for the first time, “I’m Gendry. I study at King’s Landing. Well, I’m new there. I wanted to go to the basketball try outs, but I couldn’t-”

“Why?” The coach asked, “you look like you could have done great, you do fit the sporty type.” He said eyeing his muscles. Gendry gave him a shy smile, shaking his head.

“I arrived in November and you know, the try outs were in October”

“How about after Christmas you come over to a practice session and see how it goes? We are currently missing one player and someone like you would be of great help, if it’s okay with you.”

Gendry’s eyes widened,“Are you serious?”

Petyr chuckled, “Have you played basketball before?”

“All my life.”

“Then I’m pretty serious about this.” He assured gripping his hand in a firm shake. A wide grin spread through Gendry’s mouth after hearing his words. He didn’t know how good the kid was, but if he had to decide based on his appearance he would definitely choose him.

“I won’t let you down sir, thanks for the opportunity”

“Thanks to you, you had the guts to ask, that says a lot”

Another waiter came and instructed Gendry to return to work, the boy apologized and retired to the kitchen, but not before thanking him once again for the opportunity. Petyr let out a sigh and left his half-empty glass of champagne on the nearest table. It didn’t look like tonight was going to be a waste of time after all.

He took out his phone from his pocket and texted Olyvar about the good news, inmediatly receiving happy emojis from the blond assistant coach. Petyr refrained from rolling his eyes and checked to see if Sansa had sent him any messages.

Petyr smiled, truly smiled at seeing she had indeed sent him one ten minutes ago. It was a picture of her, _‘no wait, a selfie? Is that how they’re called? It doesn’t matter’_ She was smiling to the camera, dressed in a light blue v-neck t-shirt, with the necklace he had given her clearly visible above her neckline. Her long auburn hair fell behind her shoulders exposing that ivory skin he had trailed so many times with his lips.

 _‘I love you’_ the message said. His response was automatic.

_‘I love you too’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 28!
> 
> I didn't have a lot of time to work on this chapter but I think it turned out fine. Things are definitely moving forward. We still have dinner with the Starks and the Lannisters ahead of us, so be ready. Our favorite couple is doing fine so far despite being apart, what do you think? 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	29. Overwhelmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know it's been a while and I hadn't planned to update today because I felt like I needed to make the chapter longer, but here it is! 
> 
> Life got in the way, I got writer's block for the first time and well... I hope I can make it up to you. This story is far from finished, so I just wanted to thank everyone who's still reading it. It means a lot! I love you all :)
> 
> Okay, I'll stop now and let you read the chapter, enjoy!
> 
> -Q

 

 

 

 

“Sansa, how’s the team doing?” The seven faces gathered around the table turned in her direction. She knew it would be almost impossible to avoid facing her family’s questions, but until then she had managed to get around them with a lot of luck. 

 _‘Relax, they’re just asking about the basketball team. It’s a harmless question_ _._ ’ As if Petyr was the only reason why she decided to coach. _‘_ _R_ _ight?’_  

“Well, we lost our last game, but we almost beat Dragonstone.” 

Bran coughed a couple of times, " You almost beat Dragonstone? I don't believe it." 

“Bran!” Ned chided.  

"We only lost by one and I'm sure if we'd tied the game, we would have beaten them in the overtime." They were going to beat them in the second game. She knew it. 

“Why are you being like this, Bran?" Jon asked after swallowing a generous spoonful of his mashed potatoes. 

“Sorry Sansa.” Bran apologized. “Dragonstone has been state finalist for the last two years, they always have a strong team. The fact that you only lost by one point… We have to be careful with you.” He finished with a small smile.  

“Bran, you know there’s only a small probability for us to play against each other, even if both of our teams qualify for play-offs.” In fact, they were already qualified, even if they had lost one game. They only needed to keep playing the same way they always did. _‘Or better, if we want to beat Dragonstone.’_  

She didn’t know if they were going to play against Winterfell high school, but if they did, it wouldn’t matter if it was Bran’s team or her old high school. They would play to win.  

“Yeah, here it is.” Arya said looking at her phone’s screen. “Dragonstone beats King's Landing in a heart-stopping game that was resolved in the last seconds of the last quarter.”  

“What are you reading?” Asked Cat standing up and circling the table to Arya’s side.  

“It’s the King’s Landing digital newspaper.” She explained with a bored face scrolling down. 

“Sansa you’re famous!” Rickon exclaimed pointing at the screen. Sansa chuckled at her little brother’s enthusiasm and stood up. 

“Rickon stop!” Arya shouted when Rickon’s finger landed on the touchscreen exiting the app.  

“I haven’t done anything!” He whined.  

“You have your own phone! Use it!”  

“Enough both of you!” Catelyn yelled. “Dinner’s over. Clear the table! You two.” Arya and Rickon whined in disagreement, waving their arms and complaining until their father shot them a warning look.  

“Rickon’s right, here you are.” Robb said showing her his phone. Sansa was sitting on the bench next to Olyvar and the rest of the players while Petyr stood up shouting instructions.  

“Is that Olyvar? The guy your coaching with? I thought he’d be younger.” Her father spoke next to her. Sansa took a deep breath, _‘Oh no.’_  

“Let me see.” Her mother demanded. Before Sansa could open her mouth, Cat did. “Is that… Is that Petyr Baelish?” She asked surprised. Sansa gulped when her mother’s eyes landed on her.  

“You mean coach Baelish?” She answered casually as if she didn’t know anything about the history between Petyr and her mother’s family. “Do you know him?” 

“He’s changed a lot, but he definitely looks like the old Petyr I knew.” Sansa furrowed her eyes confused, was her mother serious? She was certain Petyr didn’t look the same as the way he did when he left the Tully’s residence, but something told her that wasn’t what her mother was referring too.  

Jon gave her a curious look from the other side of the room. She felt Robb’s eyes on her as well, possibly wondering how on earth did Catelyn know Petyr.  

Sansa’s mother was oblivious to the surreptitious looks going around her and continued talking, “I haven’t heard from him in over twenty years.”  

Ned frowned and leaned over to Catelyn's side to see the picture. “Is that the small guy that played for Riverrun?”  

“Did he play against you?” Asked Arya, wanting to be included.  

“Play?” Ned scoffed, “he beated us.” 

 _‘And then you_ _humiliated him and_ _mortally injured him_ _without a second thought_ _._ ’ Sansa bitterly thought. She could feel how the bile rose from her stomach listening to their words, as if they were remembering some good old times. Petyr never was the same after that incident. Maybe he wouldn’t even be the same Petyr she knew and fell in love with.  

“Sansa are you okay?” Her mother’s voice brought her back from her thoughts. Sansa blinked a couple of times before shaking her head. The truth was that the only thing she wanted to do right now was to vomit. Everything felt too overwhelming and the fact that her mother or her father didn’t see what was wrong sickened her.  

“I’m fine, is only that he never told me he knew you.” She finally said fixing her cold eyes into her mother’s homologues. Catelyn’s lips formed a thin line. 

Was she wondering if Sansa knew something about that night? She had just told her mother Petyr hadn’t said anything about her, a clear lie but Catelyn didn’t know that. Did she read doubt in those azure pools? Maybe guilt? Rage? It seems like _‘Family, duty, honor’_ isn’t enough to ignore your own conscience.  

The sound of cutlery and the movement of chairs flooded the kitchen. The whole family moved into the room and let the younger members pick up and wash the dishes. Sansa sighed and checked her phone. It was late, but she knew that Petyr was still in the Lannister’s Christmas dinner. Maybe she could call him later again. She thought she could handle being around her family again, but the face Catelyn made when she saw the picture of Petyr was making her second guess everything.  

Robb caught her eyes across the room. He gave her a friendly smile before lowering his face to his phone again. It looked like both had their mind somewhere else. Jon had taken out his guitar and was tuning it with Bran’s help while Ned and Catelyn decided over which movie should they watch together.  

Last year she might have found the homely look of her family in the living room comforting. Right now, however, something was wrong. She felt out of place, it wasn’t that she didn’t like being around them, but her heart belonged somewhere else. She wasn’t aware of the fact of how much living with Petyr would affect her. It was odd really, they share so many things that it felt wrong to be apart from him. Silently, she left the living room and headed upstairs. 

“Where are you going Sansa? We’re about to watch a movie.” Ned asked before she could escape through the door. 

“I don’t feel very good, I think I shouldn’t have eaten that much.” Sansa smiled trying to ease her parents concerned face, “I’m okay really, but I’m going to turn in for the night.” _Lies_. She hadn't eaten much at dinner because her stomach ache still bothered her, but she didn't want to alarm her parents any more than necessary.  

Her room was dark. The only visible light was from the street lamp outside in the street and the snow kept falling relentlessly. Sansa sat down on her wide window seat getting comfortable against the cushions. There was a strong snow storm outside, but Sansa’s room had always been warm even during the harshest of winters.  

The redhead took out her phone and saw two new notifications. The first one was from Olyvar. He had sent her a video of Jonesy playing in the living room with one of the toys Petyr had bought for him. A smile appeared on her lips as she watched the orange kitten jump around chasing the toy. _‘Petyr won’t be very happy if they break something_ _,_ _’_ Sansa thought amused.  

The second one was Petyr’s answer to the picture she had sent him. Sansa traced her silver mockingbird necklace remembering the night Petyr had given it to her. ‘ _I love you too,_ ’ read the text message. Her heart still fluttered whenever she heard his voice. She could still remember the way they had danced the morning after the first time she had stayed the night in his house. How his deep voice had sung an old song to her and her cheeks had turned beet red. They had laughed and shared some more kisses before he had taken her back to her apartment. It had been hard to part from him then, but it was nothing compared to their goodbye at the airport. 

Sansa clutched her blanket tighter while the snowflakes kept falling outside. It wouldn’t be the first time she fell asleep on her window seat, the snow, the wind outside and her room’s warmth tended to have that effect on her.  

“Sansa.” The soft voice pulled her out of her trance. Her mother was watching her under the door’s arc. The anger and loathing she had felt for her died out at the sight of her concerned eyes. 

“Hi mom.” 


	30. On pause

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr has a chat with Davos, while Sansa spends the night with her family.

“So, this is where you escaped.” Petyr turned around in time to watch Davos close the door of the small balcony. Petyr had managed to sneak out of dinner a few minutes ago in search of a little quiet amid all the noise.  

“I needed a bit of fresh air, I didn’t think I’d be missed.” He didn’t have to talk to the mighty Tywin Lannister after all. The only reason for his invitation was out of courtesy, because whether the Lannisters liked it or not, he was good at his job.  

Davos rested his arms on the railing and eyed him from the corner of his eye. “Do you smoke?” 

Petyr shook his head before shrugging. “No, I used to. I guess it’s an old habit.” He raised the hand with the untouched cigarette, “do you?” He offered.  

“No, I’m fine.” The old coach declined. There was worry in his eyes, but Petyr decided to ignore it. He had listened to Gendry’s words and slowed down the drinking. He wasn’t someone who usually indulged during this kind of gatherings since that fatal night almost twenty years ago, but somehow in the back of his mind, he thought it was the best he could do.  

His head was somewhere else and the people around him could feel it. He had seen the same question in Davos eyes earlier in the night when he left Jonesy in Olyvar’s care. Was it so easy to read him now? He had lived alone most of his life but somehow everything had changed in the last four months. ‘ _I’m going soft’_   

“I really thought you were going to win, you know.” Davos voice sounded so far, but he forced himself to go back from his thoughts. Later he could return home and immerse in his own misery.  

“Hmm?” Was the only answer Petyr give him. 

“I’m serious Petyr, I've known Stannis for many years and I've never seen him in that state. He looked like a red tomato about to explode.” Petyr couldn’t refrain himself and let out low chuckle remembering the Dragonstone coach’s face. 

His curved lips dropped.“It wasn’t enough though.”  

“You know that there were a lot of eyes watching that game, don’t you?” Petyr turned to look at his companion for the first time since the conversation begun. Davos was watching him closely. The question was still on his eyes, but he had apparently chosen to ignore it for the time being.  

“Selmy told me you talked to him after the last Golden Cloak’s game like I told you to do.” 

Petyr smirked. “We didn’t talk much.” It was true, Petyr barely introduced himself, “he had other things in mind at the time with the media wanting to hear his statement about the game.” The golden cloak’s coach had told him what he already knew. He was retiring at the end of the season and the team needed a new coach. Petyr was still unsure about the opportunity, he did not see himself as the right man for the job, despite Davos and Sansa’s beliefs.  

The idea wouldn’t leave his mind though, and the fact that he would have to say goodbye to his current job at the university only fueled his motivation. It couldn’t be that easy right? Petyr shook his head mentally, it's no use thinking about it now. He still had a lot of things ahead of him for him to really consider something like this. 

“Well, I honestly don’t know exactly what you told him, but it looks like he likes you.”  

Petyr shrugged, “It wasn't a long conversation, really.” 

Davos chuckled. “Maybe that’s why. You're both people of few words.” 

Before Petyr could reply, the balcony’s door opened and closed once again, showing a weary Tyrion. The small man closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before letting out a long breath. It was clear that Petyr wasn’t the only one having a bad night.  

"What are you two doing out here? The party's just getting started." Tyrion took a couple steps forward and gave Petyr a friendly slap in the back. Petyr’s mouth twitched at the presumed familiarity. “What could you two be possibly scheming?” Petyr refrained from rolling his eyes before giving the small Lannister his trademark smirk.  

“Tyrion! Nice of you to join us.” The music could be heard from the outside. The guests, too intoxicated to care, moved around and danced on the spacious ballroom. “You must excuse me, dancing is not my forte.” 

"I have two left feet.” Davos added quickly. 

“So, you just been out here, watching the stars, waiting patiently to turn into popsicles.” Petyr shrugged.  

“You know Baelish, I’ve been watching you the whole night and honestly, the ficus at the entrance was having a better time.” Petyr had always used this type of event as an opportunity to get ahead in the game. It was a way to further his own agenda, to know how the pieces moved and to listen to some gossip of which he couldn’t have found out otherwise. The fact that he was the only one who knew about his colleague's vices and how to provide for them only made it easier.  

“What can I say? Your family is not the best party planner.” Tyrion chuckled and shook his head, the small man leaned against the railing the same way Davos and Petyr were doing, with clear difficulty due to his inebriated state.  

“Just call her.” The Lannister slurred.  

Petyr froze. “Excuse me?” The small man kept studying him with a knowing smile adorning his lips. Petyr quickly went through the last conversations he had had with Tyrion in his head in order to find out any signs that would have led the Lannister to that conclusion, but he couldn’t find any. Davos’ eyes travelled from Petyr to Tyrion intermittently, witnessing firsthand the staring contest happening in front of him.  

Tyrion was the first to break the silence, taking advantage of the rare opportunity he had to gloat in front of Petyr. “Yes, I know brainless prig! I’ve known for a while now! For the love of the seven, how can you be this dense?” 

Petyr sighed. He didn't even know why it bothered him so much that people knew about him and Sansa. They've never hidden or kept it a secret, but he couldn’t hide the truth much longer. The healed cracks in his heart threatened to open up. Now he understood why Sansa didn't want to tell Margaery that they were dating when she walked her to her apartment a couple of months ago. This irrational fear seeped into his body paralyzing him from head to toes. Words formed on his lips but failed to escape.  

 _‘Get your shit together Petyr, you look like a complete idiot right now.’_  

“What’s...Ahem, sorry but what’s going on?” Petyr sighed for the umpteenth time tonight. Tyrion turned toward a very confused Davos without dropping his mocking smile. Oh, he was enjoying this.  

“I can’t believe I’m the one breaking the news but I just found out that, our Baelish here is seeing someone.” 

“Really? And who’s the lucky lady?” Davos nudged him with his shoulder trying to get a reaction from Petyr. “Is Myranda? Please tell me it’s not Myranda, she’s always been very-” 

“It’s not Myranda!” Petyr threw his head back and chuckled not knowing what else to say. Davos looked more confused than before.  

“It’s Sansa.” It was a whisper, almost wistful. He didn’t know when it had happened but there wasn’t any trace of the vertigo he had felt before. Petyr closed his eyes and told himself that it was normal to share this sort of thing with colleagues, even if they gossiped too much for their own good. It was times like this he was really glad Varys had decided to work at the other side of the Narrow Sea.  

“No way, since when?” Petyr narrowed his eyes at Tyrion, _‘do you know?’._ The small man raised one eyebrow in defiance, but Petyr ignored him. It didn’t matter. It was time to regain the upper hand.  

“Well, you know. Sansa has always been an extraordinary woman.” The man from the Fingers squared his shoulders and smirked one last time. “Since October.” Petyr turned around and opened the balcony door ignoring his gawping audience. Yes, it was true. Petyr Baelish cared for someone other than himself and it was non-other than the stunning Sansa- _mother-fucking_ -Stark, and she felt the same way for him. “Now if you’ll excuse me gentlemen, I have a call to make.” 

 

_________________

 

Catelyn turned on the light of her room waking up Sansa from her daydream. Her reflection was looking at her now, instead of the ethereal winter scene from before. The young redhead averted her gaze from the window to return it to the newcomer at her door.  

“Hey honey, I wanted to see how you were doing, you looked really pale during dinner. Do you need anything?”  

“I’m fine, it’s nothing really.” Sansa forced a little smile but it faded on her lips.  

Catelyn crossed the room, sitting next to her oldest daughter. She caught a stray auburn strand and curled it behind Sansa’s ear. “It’s something bothering you Sansa? Talk to me, I barely see you during the year and now that you’re here... I’m sorry I'm just worried about you.” 

“I’m fine! I promise.” After Sansa’s response Cat dropped the subject and tried to convince her to go downstairs to watch the movie with the rest of the family. Few minutes after she was snuggling on the couch, her head resting on Jon’s shoulder as they watched ‘Elf’ on the TV like they did every year. However, in the middle of the movie they had a little altercation in which Arya and Rickon started throwing popcorn at each other. Seeing as nobody wanted to keep watching the movie, Jon got out his guitar again and started playing some chords while the two troublemakers swept the floor for popcorn leftovers.  

Bran sat down on the piano bench and started playing along. Soon the room was filled with music and people singing popular Christmas carols, mixed with the occasional inappropriate Christmas song, making Catelyn frown and throw them glare after glare across the room.  

Sansa found herself truly smiling for the first time tonight. Her heart felt lighter and lucky for being surrounded of people who loved her. It wasn’t even Christmas yet, and despite being without Petyr she felt like she could endure the wait now more than ever.  

 _‘He must be so lonely though.’_ Sansa groaned into her pillow. It was almost one in the morning and it had been barely five minutes since she had call it a night and went to bed, but her thoughts kept drifting toward him.  

Sansa checked her phone. He hadn’t texted her in a while so she decided to do it for him. 

‘ _Going to sleep now, love u’_  

Sansa plugged her phone into the charger on her nightstand before turning off the lights. The events of the day crossed her mind several times before she fell into sleep’s embrace. Her phone rang next to her, but she couldn’t hear it. The person at the other end persisted, almost wanting to wake up the whole Stark house, wishing she would somehow know he was there, waiting. But it stopped, leaving her in silence once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow chapter 30!
> 
> So here is when things start to change hehehehe (this is going slower than I thought, but we're getting there). Look at Petyr, I'm so proud of him, he's finally opening up to people, even if it only gives him another excuse to brag about Sansa. What can I say about Sansa? xD she deserves to be loved. Hope you liked it!
> 
> PS: It didn't take me more than a month to update, yay! (I need to sleep)
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	31. Christmas cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well... Things are definitely moving forward.

 

                                                                    

 

He had tried several times, but Sansa still wouldn’t answer the phone. He knew that she must be sleeping but Petyr was still hoping he could talk to her one last time before he got home. Petyr smirked imagining his redhead snuggling up in her cozy bed. She always made the cutest noises when he jumped in their bed and trapped her in his arms. She would kiss him then and cover them both with the duvet, sheltering their bodies from the cold of the night.    


_ ‘If I’d called her earlier, maybe...’ _ Petyr cursed under his breath. If only Tywin hadn’t called him to talk with the foreign investors. They were already in his pocket, he knew that the old lion did it only to put up appearances, but did it have to be at that exact moment? Petyr grunted, his breath visible thanks to the street lamp above him.    


It was a quick drive, his hands turning the wheel the same way he had been doing for several years now. Olyvar woke up from the sofa when he heard him come in and left the house with a brief goodnight. Petyr thanked him for taking care of Jonesy, but the blond coach dismissed it with a wide yawn before disappearing through the door.    


Petyr took out his coat and prepared for bed. There was a strange silence throughout the house that not even Jonesy’s meows could fill. The small kitten curled on Sansa’ pillow as soon as the man laid down. It wasn’t the same red he was used to sleeping next to every night, but the animal looked so at ease that he remembered another scene in which the kitten fell asleep thanks to Sansa’s petting and he almost melted on the spot. 

 

“Hey buddy, you miss her too, huh?” Jonesy smelled his fingers before nuzzling his face in his palm.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be back soon.” Petyr let out a long sigh before closing his eyes. Five days wasn’t exactly what he would consider soon, but he had no other choice. He would wait for her, he would endure it while thinking about the things they were going to do when she returned.

He still marveled at the 180-degree turn his life had taken since Sansa’s arrival. He felt full of hope every time she was with him, and not only that, his house glowed whenever she was around. His thoughts always drifted toward auburn curls and lemon kisses and her smile… Petyr shook his head mentally.

_ ‘Congratulations, you are an idiot in love.’   _   


The grown man groaned into his pillow. Everything looked so much easier with Sansa. Without her, he was full of doubts and insecurities. Long forgotten were the nights where he promised he would never put himself in a place of vulnerability again. Long forgotten were the silent tears his fifteen-year-old self-had shed all those years ago. His scars had closed, and her smile had been his balm. Even now inside this empty room, he could still hear her voice telling him about her day like she always did, he could picture the way her lips curled after he had kissed every kissable inch on her body, and the way they moved saying those three little words into his ear over and over again.

She had changed everything, and Petyr was glad to follow her every step of the way.  

_______________

 

The room was dark when she opened her eyes. Sansa tried to convince herself that it was only a small discomfort that had awakened her, some passing stomach ache that would disappear before sunrise. But the pain persisted, and it was only intensifying.

A sharp pain pierced her abdomen making her lips let out a small whimper that had been threatening to escape for some time now. Sansa raised her upper body, rising as fast as the pain let her and planted her feet on the floor.    


_ ‘Breath.’ _

A small white box came into her mind. It had been a while since her period cramps had been this bad.  _ ‘Just go to the bathroom and take one ibuprofen to help with the pain. Relax, breath slowly.’ _ Each step cost more than the last. With an effort, she managed to press the bathroom light switch and look at her reflection in the mirror. She was pale as a ghost.

“Sansa, is that you?” A light shone at the end of the corridor where her parents’ room was. Her mother asked her the same question again, but her mind couldn’t process the words. She needed to make the pain stop.

The young redhead stretched her right hand towards the tablet box, but it slipped through her fingers and fell onto the floor with a light thud. Sansa cursed under her breath but before she could say anything another sharp pain pierced through her lower abdomen.    


“Sansa?” Fast footsteps approached the bathroom. Sansa bent over to pick up the box, but her head was spinning and the only thing she managed was to land her hands on the cold bathroom tiles.

“Sansa!” Suddenly there was someone with her on the floor. A familiar hand clutched her shoulder, asking for attention. “Sansa! What happened? You’re bleeding!”

“It’s nothing…” Sansa’s face grimaced, disagreeing with her last words. “It just… hurts.”

“Ned! Come here and help me. We have to get Sansa to the hospital now!”

_ ‘Wait, did she say I was bleeding?’ _ No, it wasn’t possible. She would have known. It can’t be. Sansa lowered her head, drowning the noises and yells going on around her and saw red.  _ ‘No, no, no, no, no…’ _ Her cream pajama pants were stained between her legs. The smell of iron was palpable and if it weren’t for the next wave of pain that ran through her stomach she would have vomited right there.

A tear ran down her face.  _ Petyr _ . He was the only clear thought on her mind right now. He was the one she wanted to go to. But instead of his voice her mother’s spoke to her, “Everything will be alright honey, you’re going to be okay.”

_ ‘He has to know. I have to talk to him…’ _

Two pairs of hands helped her stand up. Her whole body ached because of the effort and her head kept spinning around. Robb and Jon were saying something in the distance, her mom kept trying to reassure her with words and her dad clutched her arm as if it were a lifeline. She was surrounded by her family, but she felt completely alone.    


“You’ll be okay, don’t worry. Everything is going to be okay.”

_______________

 

Distraction. He needed a distraction. A steaming cup of tea rested right next to his laptop, accompanied by the multiple sheets of paper spread across his desk. Basketball season wasn’t over, and they needed to start working for the upcoming new year.    


A few rebel crumbs landed on the basketball clipboard. Petyr quickly picked them up, cursing Olyvar’s name for making such delicious cookies. The blonde coach had left him a tray with homemade cookies and Petyr had decided to indulge in some of them.    


He hated to admit it, but Olyvar was better at baking than he was. He’ll have to thank him for them the next time he saw him. Maybe he should ask him for the recipe and make them one day with Sansa. Sansa loved to bake, and he was sure that it wouldn’t be as disastrous as last time.

“You burnt them!” Sansa exclaimed, opening the oven and taking out the baking tray.

 

“Not all of them, this one is only a little toasted.”

“Stop!” she yelled, deflecting Petyr’s eager fingers, which were about to grab one of the cookies from the tray, with a light slap. “They’re hot.”

Petyr chuckled and bit his lip in amusement. “Don’t worry, sweetling, I’ve tasted much hotter things already and I’m fine.” His arms circled her waist before he laid a soft kiss on her auburn mane. “And if I remember correctly, you’re also responsible for us being left without cookies to eat.”

“No, I’m not. It’s completely your fault.” It was now Sansa’s turn to smirk. “And if I remember correctly, you were the one boasting about how you could cook a soufflé with your eyes closed this morning. Cookies can’t be that hard, right?”

Petyr turned her around with a quick move. “I was distracted.” His heated gaze rested on her lips and he refrained a groan from the touch of her hands on his chest.

“You could have started a fire,” she continued teasing, her fingers playing with the first two open buttons of his shirt.    


“But I didn’t.” His hand went into her hair, freeing her long silky curls from the ponytail she was wearing.    


“You didn’t, but you were careless.” 

Petyr chuckled lowly. “If I remember correctly…” Sansa rolled her eyes and tried to free herself from his hold, but Petyr didn’t let her. “If I remember correctly you were thoroughly enjoying my careless attention.”

“Maybe.”

Petyr pressed her sides, knowing she was especially ticklish in that area. “Admit it.”

“Stop,” she demanded between giggles. Petyr’s fingers kept attacking her until she managed to grip his hands and gave him a rough kiss ending the conversation.  

A loud ringing woke him from his daydream. Petyr stood up and crossed the room in two long strides, picking up the buzzing device on the coffee table. He let out a long sigh before accepting the call, wondering who could be calling him at three in the morning. Petyr’s breath hitched. Sansa’s name was on his screen.

“Sansa?” 

“Petyr?”

Petyr furrowed his brow. “Who are you?”

“It’s Robb.”    


_ ‘Robb?’ _ Why would Sansa’s brother call him? And through Sansa’s phone, no less. Before Petyr could ask the reason for his call, Robb’s voice sounded through the speakers again. “Petyr, I called as soon as I could. It’s Sansa, she’s-”

“Is something wrong?” Petyr’s blood froze.

“They’re taking her to the hospital.”

_____________

 

One step, another step, one more. Catelyn paced restlessly around the waiting room. Ned was sitting on one of the chairs, but his behavior wasn’t reassuring at all. His leg had been shaking with unrest since the moment he sat down.    


Catelyn hugged Sansa’s coat. The ambulance had arrived quickly despite the holiday season and Cat was thankful for it. The silence that reigned in the room was suddenly broken by Ned’s coughing fit. Robb stood up quickly and filled a plastic cup with water. The older Stark thanked him with a low voice and downed the contents of the cup. 

Catelyn let out a long sigh. The fluorescent light started hurting her eyes after her small watch hand turned for the second time. Waiting, that’s all she could do. Nurses came and went, but none stopped to tell them what was going on.    


Ned had taken the boys home thirty minutes ago. He didn’t want to leave her alone so he had promised to come back with coffee after dropping off Jon and Robb. Catelyn closed her eyes. What would happen if he was too late? Would she be able to tell him the bad news? Could she? No, she was getting ahead of herself. Nothing bad had happened yet.

She was about to try and call Ned again when a small woman approached her. “Mrs. Stark?”

Catelyn lifted her head, “Dr. Lawson?” she finally said, remembering the doctor’s name.

The young doctor nodded, giving her a reassuring smile before speaking again. “She’s resting now. She has lost a lot of blood, but we managed to control the internal hemorrhage very quickly so we are very hopeful in her recovery.”

“Thanks to the Seven,” the redhead let out, relieved.

“We will spend tonight monitoring her to make sure she doesn’t relapse and tomorrow we’ll see if it’s possible to discharge her.” But the small doctor wasn’t finished. “I’m afraid we couldn’t save the baby.”    


Catelyn blinked a couple of times. “What do you mean?”

“Mrs. Stark, your daughter has had a miscarriage, which is rare in someone so young and healthy, but it’s not impossible. We have been able to prevent infection by acting so quickly, but in any case, I’m still going to prescribe the following medications to control any future bleeding-.”

“No, wait. You don’t understand, there has to be a mistake.”

Her head was spinning. Catelyn shook her head mentally. No, it couldn’t be. Miscarriage? Sansa wasn’t in any relationship. Was she seeing Joffrey again? No, she would have told her.

“I’m sorry, what do you not understand?”

“My daughter she’s not… She’s not seeing anyone!”

“My apologies ma’am but what goes in your daughter’s personal life does not concern me, I’m just giving my diagnosis.”

Catelyn pursed her lips, cursing to whoever was the culprit of her daughter’s predicament. She knew she shouldn’t have let her study in the capital. This was madness.

The doctor left the waiting room after she finished prescribing the medications, leaving a confused Catelyn with more questions than before. The redhead covered her face with her hands. She only hoped that Sansa had a good explanation for everything when she woke up.

 

She better.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is chapter 31!
> 
> I had this chapter in mind since January. (I'm such a slow writer lol, sorry) I know the wait was long, but I really hope you liked it. 
> 
> I was really nervous about this chapter because I wanted to get it right. I'm sorry if I said something wrong when the doctor was talking to Catelyn. I've never had a miscarriage but I have done a lot of research for this chapter (which doesn't mean I haven't done any mistakes. If I did please tell me in the comments) 
> 
> So... what do you think is going to happen now? What's Petyr going to do? What's Catelyn going to do? What would Sansa tell her? 
> 
> Thanks for reading the chapter as always! 
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


	32. Mist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petyr is determined to do anything to go back to Sansa

 

“Shit!” Petyr cursed after trying to call Robb for the umpteenth time. He could hear the intermittent tone of the phone through the speakers, mocking him, telling he might be late. Late for what? Several images crossed Petyr’s mind thinking about what could have happened to Sansa. It didn’t matter the reason, he was late.

   
He was late and he knew he must pay for it. Petyr covered his face with his hands and sighed. The person in the seat in front of him turned his head in his direction, but the green-eyed man ignored him. He wanted to run, to scream, to punch the first thing that came across his path but that wouldn’t do anything. He had been lucky to book the first flight to Winterfell as soon as Robb contacted him several hours ago. Today was Christmas’ Eve, a busy day for airports.    
  
A light turned on above his head signaling the passengers to turn off their mobile devices and prepared for take-off. Petyr unlocked his mobile phone one last time and found Robb’s number again.    
  
“Come on! Answer. I need you to answer.” One beep. Two beeps. Three beeps. Nothing.  

A touch on his shoulder distracted him from the string of curses coming out of his mouth. “Excuse me, sir, you need to turn off your device-”  
  
“It will be a second.” He promised, dialing Robb’s number again. He only wanted an answer, a signal that told him that Sansa was fine. Anything but silence.  
  
“Sir, I won’t say it again, set your mobile device to airplane mode or switch it off.”

Silence.  
  
Petyr gulped and closed his eyes. This meant nothing. Sansa was okay, she was with her family, people who care and would do anything for her. With a quick movement, he raised his hand and switched off his phone staring with his head up to the flight attendant.  

The lady forced a curt smile and thanked him for his collaboration before leaving him alone.  
  
The green-eyed man ran his fingers through his hair once more. It was raining outside and he wondered if the flight would be delayed. ‘It’s all my fault I should have accompanied Sansa”. Ned and Catelyn be damned, they would not keep him away from her when she needed him most. When he needed her most.  
  
He hoped he wasn’t too late.

 

______________________

  
  
_Two months._  
  
The window was closed but she could still hear the wind blowing in the blizzard outside.  
  
_Two months._  
  
The blankets covering her were asphyxiating. The painkillers the doctor had prescribed her were losing its effect and reality was crashing down on her again. If she tried to move her abdomen hurt. The discomfort below her belly was a constant reminder she had lost. She had lost a lot and she didn’t even know exactly what.  
  
_Two months._  
  
She was at home, her parents home. The doctor had discharged her from the hospital a couple of hours ago but it felt like an eternity had passed. They said she only needed time to rest and recover, but could she really recover from the void she was feeling inside? Sansa was lost. Her mother had not separated from her side since the moment they left the hospital but she felt more alone than ever.  
  
How could you miss something you never had? Something? It wasn’t a thing, was it? Would she have been able to have it even though it would not have been planned or would she have decided to abort? Would she have felt guilty? Guilt. She definitely felt that right now. Silent tears started to fell down her cheek.  
  
_Two months._  
  
The last two months had been the best of her life and where was she now? Was it all an illusion? Basketball practices, classes, Petyr’s kisses, the intimate touches, the confessions, the ‘I love you’s... The knot in her chest tightened. No. This was the time she was supposed to be brave, right?    
  
Muffled footsteps strode down the corridor until they stopped in front of her door. Sansa held her breath and closed her eyes pretending to be asleep.  
  
“Should we wake her up?”  
  
“Cat, she needs rest.”  
  
“She has to eat something.”  
  
“Hey. It’s okay.” Sansa couldn’t see her parents but she was sure that they were hugging. Their voices felt so distant despite being a few feet away from her bed.  
  
“I feel like I don’t know her at all Ned. Our little girl is asleep in her room and I don’t know anything about her.”  
  
“That’s not true Cat.”  
  
Catelyn sighed, “it feels like it.”  
  
There was a momentary pause before Sansa’s dad took her mother downstairs leaving her alone with her thoughts once again. So was this the end? What was she supposed to do now? Sleep sounded like the better option for now. Yeah, maybe she would finally wake up and discover everything was a dream. Sadness and loneliness weren’t real if you were asleep. The Sansa from two months ago would have never imagined she would be in this situation.  
  
The condensation on her window kept her from seeing the sky. It kept her from flying away back to King’s Landing. Every time his face appeared in her mind her tears reemerged. She wanted to be with Petyr now more than ever, to hold his hand to touch him. To listen to his voice. To wake up and find his warm green-eyes waiting for her.  
  
Two months.  
  
Her room was covered in darkness when sleep finally engulfed her. Her thoughts kept spinning aimlessly around the mist in her mind. Everything was grey and she couldn’t escape.  
  
Only the particular sound of her name being called downstairs stirred her from her fitful sleep.  


____________________

  
  
Catelyn crossed the hall towards the door as soon as she heard the doorbell ring. It was probably Ned grumbling about how he had forgotten his wallet again. It wouldn’t have been the first time her husband had gone to the grocery store and couldn’t pay at the cash register.  
  
Catelyn’s eyes widened. The dark haired man standing on her porch wasn’t her husband. He was older than the last time she had seen him, but it was him. “Petyr?”  
  
“Cat.”  
  
The blizzard was getting worse and the man he had called a little brother a long time ago was standing outside without a coat to protect him. She was about to invite him to enter in when she realized that he was practically a stranger. He wasn’t the same small boy that had faced Brandon all those years ago.  
  
“Is Sansa here?” The look of distraught that passed his face didn’t escape Catelyn. The older Stark pursed her lips.  
  
“Yes, but she’s not in the best condition to greet anyone right now.”  
  
If she remembered correctly Petyr was the head coach of the basketball team Sansa had been coaching this semester so it wasn’t bizarre that he was asking for her. It still didn’t explain the fact that the man had traveled all the way from King’s Landing to Winterfell only to talk to her daughter.  
  
“Is she alright? I need to see her.” The green-eyed man took a step forward, his worried gaze looking over her shoulder.  
  
“Hold on, what do you think you are-?”  
  
“Petyr?” Robb’s voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. Sansa’s older brother took a place next to Catelyn ignoring the look his mother was giving him.  
  
“You never answered my call Robb, where is she? Why did you go to the hospital?” Petyr accused. Snowflakes were starting to sneak in from the storm outside and melting at the entrance.  
  
“Hey, mom! Close the door it’s freezing outside!” Rickon complained from the living room.  
  
This was too much. “Can someone explain to me what’s going on? Petyr, I don’t want to be rude but what-?”  
  
“I called him mom.” Robb intervened.  
  
“Close the door!”Petyr managed to step inside and closed the door before Catelyn could protest. They could hear steps attracted by the noise they were making.  
  
“I called him because he needed to know that Sansa was fine.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
Arya and Jon appeared from the living. “Hey, you’re that weird guy I saw-!”  
  
“Arya shut up!” Her older brother lifted the smaller Stark and tried to stop her from making a bigger scene than the one unfolding at the moment. Catelyn’s head was spinning until suddenly everything clicked. Her eyes glared to the newcomer.  
  
“You. It was you, you little worm, you dare to come into my house when everything is your fault!” The blood, the fear, everything was his fault. First Lysa and now Sansa. She wanted to hit him, to throw him out in the storm and call the police, but her son’s arms encircled her body restraining her from pouncing at the man.  
  
“What are you talking about-?”  
  
“Get out of my house!”  
  
“Petyr?” Everyone froze.

 

_________________

  
  
She was there calling his name. Step by step she went down the stairs and suddenly she stood in front of him. Petyr had a lot of questions, but all of them died down as soon as her bare feet touch the parquet floor. Petyr ignored the people gathered around him, Sansa was the only one that matter right now. It felt like coming home. Her hot body clang to his as if it were a lifeline. Tears streamed down her face onto his shirt, or was it his tears? It didn’t matter. He wouldn’t let go. He will never let go.  
  
“Sssh sweetling I’m here.” He whispered into her ear.  
  
“I’m sorry.” Petyr shook his head.  
  
“No, no, no, don’t be.” He kissed her on her cheek. Everything was fine now, they were together. Her smell, her touch, it was all he needed and he didn’t even know it.  
  
“I’m sorry.” She repeated between sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 32!
> 
> Hello again, sorry for the long wait. I've been pretty busy with school and then writer's block hit me really hard. So hopefully this chapter made sense and I can continue this story where I left it. A few months ago I kinda knew where I wanted to go with it, but right now I'm lost, so don't expect me to post another chapter right away because I need to think about this story (especially when I have so many other ideas for different fics, that I started during my "break") 
> 
> So... what do you think? As always, is a pleasure to read your thoughts in the comments, don't be shy :) 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with me after all this time. It's been a year since I posted the first chapter and I still can't believe how far I've come so thank you! This only means one thing. I may have to post something special for my ao3 and Tumblr anniversary ;) 
> 
> Tumblr: @quoyan11


End file.
